Hogwarts, Book One: The Warlocks of Atlantis
by entropist
Summary: AU / Sequel to "Harry Potter and the Sea l of Chaos" Seven after Voldemort's fal l , and from the depths of legend, a thr ea t arises and casts its shadow over th e s chool of Hogwarts. Harry Potter, new ly a ppointed Defence teacher, and his f riend s will fight, of course. But a new gener ation of heroes rises. Follow Ian Malcol m and Kenneth Lionheart as they step up as the next
1. Prologue: Nearly Snatched

**Prologue: Nearly snatched**

* * *

_1947, the south east of France_

* * *

The couple was running as fast as they could, making their way through the garrigue. The low hard bushes made their advance complicated, much more than the slight wound on the man's side or the weight of the baby the woman was worrying in her arms. The man had his wand at the ready, knowing that they were surely on their trail. They had escaped the little cabin that had been their refuge for three days at the first sign of intruders, but he couldn't hope not leaving a trail after the little skirmish that had ensued.

Where was the help he had been promised?

Michel was urging his wife to keep up, thinking of his uncle's letter, telling him that help was on the way. But so far, he had seen no sign of it.

His wound made his steps a little unsteady and he tripped on an exposed root, catching himself roughly on the hands. Thankfully, his wand was intact. He got back on his feet. Annie, his wife, saw that he had fallen and was about to go back to help him, but he urged her to go on.

"I'm fine, keep going!" he said.

"I can't leave you behind, love," she protested.

"Don't slow down," he told her, catching up with her. "We can't let them catch us."

"But why are they after us?" asked Annie.

"I don't know, love," said Michel. "I just don't know."

_They_ had started to stalk Michel and his wife a few months ago. At first, Michel had thought that they were supporters of Grindelwald, that would refuse defeat. But it didn't seem that way. They had moved homes, but that hadn't been enough. They had gone into hiding, but that hadn't been enough. Now they were on the run, having left Paris, but as far as Provence, they had found their trail.

Michel didn't know what they wanted, but he had received a letter, from his distant uncle Jérôme, warning him. Michel's family was old, he knew that, and so they were spread across the whole of France, keeping distant contacts. Jérôme was an elderly patriarch, living somewhere in Brittany, some kind of legend for his family. Michel had to have met him twice in his thirty years of life. But now, the old man had written, telling him to be on his guards and to watch out for his son!

Annie had been shocked to hear that. Michel felt sorry for dragging his love into such a nightmare. Annie was a muggle, the most beautiful being in the world, in his eyes. She hadn't asked for any of this, an yet she endured everything with patience and unwavering love for him and her son. But tonight, this was maybe the end of the road for them. Michel had a dreadful feeling about this night.

A sinister whistling sound echoed behind him and he was pushed by a sudden wind. Around them, silhouettes started to appear. Annie screamed in terror. There were three of them, all dressed in the same hooded robes. Their faces were hidden in the darkness that was surrounding them. All had wands. Michel tried his best to place himself between Annie and them, but more whistling sounds told him that he was surrounded. He made a quick turn on himself, and saw five attackers.

"What do you want with us!" screamed Michel.

Only silence met his enraged question. They only raised their wands.

He was trapped. He stood no chance. He was a wizard, but not a fighter. How could he face five wizards on his own. He was decided to give his best, though. They wouldn't get his son without a fight.

But before the silent attackers could attack, there was a sudden crack echoing in the air. A flash of light and suddenly, Michel was surrounded by three silhouettes. If the attackers that had caught him were all dressed alike, one couldn't have thought of a trio of people that looked as different from each other as those three.

One had a stocky build, an iron grey beard that seemed to have been carved out of metal by a sculptor. He was dressed in monk robes and carried a wooden staff.

Another was young, his hair cut short. His face wore no trace of a beard, and he had a nose that evoked the beak of an eagle. His wand was emitting sparks as he faced the hooded silhouettes. He wore trousers and a coat that muggles used to wear in the nineteenth century like it was the latest fashion.

The last one was the tallest and he had a long auburn beard that was streaked in white. His blue eyes seemed to sparkle over half moon glasses. His robes were in clear colours and his hair flowed freely over his shoulders. He had a slightly crooked nose and seemed to be leading the three wizards. All of them had positioned in a defensive stance around Michel, Annie and their baby.

More whistling sounds told Michel that the enemy had gotten reinforcements. It didn't seem to faze any of the three. The stockier even smiled.

"So what do you reckon, old friend?" he asked the taller one, in English, which Michel spoke, luckily.

"The odds seem to have jumped to five to one," said the taller one, serenely.

"Should we offer them to surrender, then, Albus?" asked the man with the staff.

"After all the trouble they went through to find them? That would be just rude," chuckled the youngest.

The hooded wizards stepped forward, aiming their wands.

"Will this kind of people ever learn?" asked the stocky one with a staff.

"I doubt it. Time to teach them a lesson, then," said the man called 'Albus'.

"Ha! Always the teacher, Albus, my friend," scoffed the youngest one.

"You may laugh all you want, you should consider it someday, Aldwyn," retorted Albus, kindly. "You might even find that you like the idea."

Without any hesitation, he suddenly darted his wand at one of the attackers.

"_Stupefy_!" he shouted.

The battle began immediately. Michel did his best to cover his family from stray curses and saw that the three unknown men that had come to his aid were highly skilled wizards. Not only did they hold their own against the troop, but they were causing serious damage among them. Michel saw an opening and cast a stunning spell at one of the hooded wizards, who was caught off guard. He flew against a rock nearby and fell roughly among the dry plants.

"Nice shot, Michel!" the youngest one congratulated him, in French.

"How do you know my name?" asked Michel.

"Hold on," said the man, blocking three spells, disarming his opponent and stunning him in a few moves. "There! We were sent to help you," he said, as if he had been interrupted by nothing more than a slight problem.

The battle was still raging on, but Michel was suddenly tied between relief and defiance.

"And I'm supposed to trust you?" he asked.

"In your situation," said the man called Albus, "I find your caution wise and certainly adequate. But I think explanation will have to wait until we clear the field.

"Albus, if you would be so kind," said the stockier one, who waved his staff and stunned three wizards with one blow.

The taller wizard suddenly waved his wand in a large circle and a furious wind rose, going in circle around them, and the air seemed to catch fire! A huge firestorm was now attacking the hooded wizards, who tried to fight it for a few seconds, before to suddenly start to apparate very quickly, taking their defeated comrades with them. Soon, the fire wind receded and Michel realised that the field had been emptied. Only he and his family remained, facing the three wizards.

"Who are you?" he asked, keeping his wand ready.

The man named Albus nodded for the youngest, who produced a ring. He held it out for Michel to see. Michel knew it at once. It was his uncle's signet ring! He was astonished to see that his uncle had managed to send help. The timely arrival of these three men had probably saved his life and the life of his family.

"The name is Aldwyn Armstrong," said the youngest man. "Me and my friends were staying somewhere in Brittany when we heard from your uncle. He's an old friend of my family. He told us you were hunted by unknown wizards. He asked for our help and here we are."

"I can't begin to thank you enough for this," said Michel. "How can I ever repay you?"

"Rewards are most unnecessary," said the tall wizard. "We need to move quickly to ensure your safety."

"But how? No matter how far we went, they always caught our trail," said Annie, who had found her voice again. "Where can we go?"

"Actually, home," said Armstrong.

"What?" exclaimed Michel. "But..."

"Steps are taken as we speak," said the tall one. "You need to trust us. Time is of the essence."

Michel nodded. He turned to Annie.

"Are you alright?" he asked, checking if she had been injured.

"No, I'm fine," she said. "Who are these people?"

"I have my suspicions," said Michel, barely over a whisper.

"Suspicions?" noted the tall man, having heard him.

Michel turned to him.

"You're Albus Dumbledore, aren't you?" he said. "The man who defeated Grindelwald."

The man had a reaction that seemed both to dismiss this fame and admit it at the same time.

"Yep," said Armstrong. "Not nearly as impressive as the legend says, is he? The big fellow there is Walter Amanio. He insists on tagging along wherever we go. Quite useful, his staff is, actually."

Michel was stunned.

"Who are these people, Michel?" asked Annie, a little frightened.

"Albus Dumbledore is one of the greatest wizards of our time," said Michel. "He's just defeated one of the gravest threats of our world."

"But why would he help us?" she asked.

"As I said, your uncle is a friend of my family," said Armstrong. "I managed to convince Albus that we could help. Now, we will take you home immediately and place you under protection."

"How?" asked Michel.

"How what? Taking you home or placing you under protection?" smiled Amanio.

"We will take you home with this," said Dumbledore, producing a tea cup, that he put on his palm, reversed. "Portkey. Everyone puts a finger on the cup, especially our young friend, here," he added with a nod to the baby. "What's this fellow's name?"

"Georges," said Annie. "His name is Georges."

"A fine choice for a name," said Dumbledore with a kind smile. "Alright, keep in contact with the cup. One, two, three..."

Michel had travelled by portkey often, but Annie wasn't used to it. The sensation made her stumble at the arrival, but she was caught by the man called Amanio.

"Easy, young lady," he said. "Let's not shake the baby more than we need to."

Michel looked around and saw that they were at their uncle's doorstep, at his home near St Malo. He felt so relieved to be somewhere safe that he nearly lost his balance for a moment. Dumbledore caught his hand and helped him steady himself.

"We're nearly there," said Dumbledore. "Once you're through that door, you will be put under the Fidelius Charm. Do you know what it is?"

Michel nodded. He had learned of that complex charm, which entrusted the secret of their location to one person only, making it nearly impossible to be found by enemies, as long as the Secret Keeper was holding his word. No one in his family was able to perform such magic. He had no doubt that Albus Dumbledore, who was already a legend, could do such thing, though.

"Who would be our Secret Keeper?" asked Michel, after promising to explain everything to his wife later.

"Me," said Armstrong, smiling. "I doubt anyone will think of coming after me to find out where you are, since no one knows we are even acquainted. You can settle into a different home, but I will keep the secret of your refuge. Should your family ever be threatened again, your true home will be this house and you'll never be found, as long as you stay here."

"I will never be able to repay that debt," said Michel.

"There is no debt," said Dumbledore. "We could help, so we did. That's something I feel should be basic ethics for a wizard."

"What if someone in our family wants to see us?" asked Michel.

"I'll leave a note for your keeping," said Armstrong. "Be very careful with it. If you ever need any kind of help with those mysterious wizards, do call to me. An owl may always find me on the road."

Michel nodded, aware that he was lucky to have found these men on his way, to have met with living legends of his world. He owed his life to them. And yet, as much as he was grateful, after these nights of fear and flight, he hoped that neither he nor anyone in his family would ever have to see any of them again.

* * *

_2004, the east of Germany_

* * *

The man took a deep breath. The feeling of the wind in his grey streak beard was wonderful. Finally! After five years, he was able to hit the road again.

Aldwyn Armstrong had never been the kind of man who settled down for that long. Not five years. It had really taken Albus and all his persuasion to convince him to stay at Hogwarts for so long. But the wanderlust had been too strong. Now he was free to travel again.

He had been pleased when his successor had finally admitted that he was ready to take over the Defence against the Dark Arts at the school of witchcraft and wizardry. It had allowed him to leave Hogwarts with no regrets or remorse. And he was back on the road!

He had no clear destination. His plan, right now, was to trek through Europe, maybe go as far as Moscow, to visit Zaitsev. The old coot would be surprised to see him!

As he was planning the next step of his journey, Aldwyn was suddenly interrupted by the arrival of an owl. Curious, at this our. Holding out his fist, Aldwyn invited the bird to perch on his arm and saw that the bird of prey carried a letter... and a ring.

Something in his memory suddenly awoke. Michel... taking the ring, he recognized the signet of the family of that man he had rescued more than fifty years ago, with Abus and Walter. He hurried and opened the letter.

_Mr Armstrong,_

_I know you do not know me, but my grandfather Michel talked about you often, when he explained to me the Charm my family has been put under. I have been brought up knowing that we owe you a great deal for our safety. My family has been kept safe thanks to your Magic for years. But I fear that in time, some of us have become reckless. I do not know how it came to be, but some signs tell me that the people who were after us so long ago are again hunting us. They have already tried to take one of my children. We took refuge in the safe haven you provided us, but I still fear for our safety. I do not believe our secret to be broken, but my child is due to go back to school very soon, and if we have been spared by fate, so far, I fear for her every day. I need help to ensure that she is safe without plunging her life into terror. _

_If I can ask for your help once more, I know that our debt to you will never be paid, but I'm afraid I can't trust anyone but one of the men who selflessly came to my family's rescue, just because it was right._

_I won't write down my name or tell you to come to our home. I know that we may be tracked down this way. I will be at the Beaubâtons Academy on the 1st of august. Olympe Maxime has agreed to arrange a meeting, should you accept to help us once more._

_ Michel Verney's granddaughter_

Aldwyn knew that the Fidelius Charm was still in place. And yet, there was a sense of threat that rang in him, as he was reading the letter. Something was coming. He could feel it in his bones. Albus would say that he was getting wise with old age. And Aldwyn would have laughed, usually. But not today.

Well, since he was on the road, already, he might as well see France again. Zaitsev could wait, after all. It's not like a vampire count was pressed by time, right?

He gathered his memories of his destination and apparated. The Relay to find Beaubâtons had always been tricky to find, but he had always managed to find the school starting from a specific rock in the forest of Fontainebleau.

The slight dust of cloud his disappearance had caused slowly settled down, leaving the silence only to be broken by the sharp cry of an eagle in the distance.


	2. King's Cross in September

**King's Cross in September**

* * *

It was a bright day over the great city of London. The morning was sunny, even if it was a little chilly for the season, and King's Cross Station was once again the setting of strange events, which passed completely unnoticed by Muggles, which meant the non-magic folks.

This glorious day was the first of September, and it was the beginning of term, for the students of Hogwarts, school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. So, as usual, many wizards were now walking, the more discreetly they could with trolleys loaded with trunks and owls, to reach the barrier between Platform Nine and Ten. By walking through that magic barrier, wizards and witches could access Platform Nine and Three Quarters, where a huge steaming red locomotive was awaiting its passengers. The Hogwarts Express, one of the oldest tradition in Wizarding England.

For many students, whether they would be Muggles or wizards, the beginning of term could mean, basically, a huge lot of moaning about spending yet another year in school when there was so much fun to be had elsewhere. That also could mean expressions of despair about coming major exams. Most parents knew better than to believe those complaints, but many students tried them anyway. And Hogwarts was no exception to that rule.

But Ian Malcolm wasn't one of those students. Except for the moments he shared with his parents, Ian was never happier than in Hogwarts. That castle deep in the north, where he was studying, had captured his heart completely. The towers and corridors, the hidden rooms and all the students... The lessons were fascinating as well. And it was getting even better each year, as Ian was exploring deeper levels of Magic with each year of study. Ian was entering his third year in Hogwarts, in the House of Ravenclaw. And he couldn't wait to be there.

"Alright, dear, do you have everything?" asked Neve Malcolm, his mother, a slight nostalgia in her voice, as she spoke. "Your lunch, and all?"

"Yep, Mum," said Ian, smiling. "Don't worry," he said, misreading her feeling.

"I'm not worried, Ian," said his mother softly. "It's just that you grow up too fast for me. I would like to keep you as my little baby forever."

"I prefer growing up, if you don't mind," said Ian, with a twisted grin.

She smiled wider and hugged him. His father, John Aloysius Malcolm, joined them on the platform, Ian's little brother Ewan on his heels. The little boy looked at the steaming locomotive with a look of envy on his face. But since he had voiced his jealousy over his brother going to Hogwarts while he was stuck at home during the whole summer, he had chosen to pout instead.

"Okay, son, your trunk is on the train," said John. "But Merlin isn't pleased. You should have let him go out to hunt; last night."

"I did, Dad," said Ian. "Don't let yourself be fooled by Merlin. He's gotten pretty good at that. He's learned to pretend to be hungry with the other birds of the Owlery. He'll be fine."

"So, you'll make me proud again this year, won't you?" said his father. "I was so glad to hear that you were second of the whole year. This time, you could even get top of the year."

"In the same year as Kieran? Dad, be serious a second," said Ian, shaking his head.

"Just do your best, Ian," said his mother. "Have a good term."

"I will. This year, with Alexander…"

"Professor Lockenburn," corrected his mother for yet another time.

"Aw, Mum, he doesn't want me to call him Professor! How many times will I have to tell you that?" protested Ian.

"Alright," she sighed, still uneasy with Ian's familiarity with his mentor.

Neve had been a trouble maker at Hogwarts, but still, there had been things that her upbringing had made clear in her mind. A student didn't call teachers by their first names. But it seemed that neither Ian nor Alexander were bound to apply these rules.

"So, with Alexander, we're beginning Charms, this year," Ian went on. "This will be great!"

His mother nodded at that, but then turned a look Ian knew was only reserved to "the talk", which, if she was truly honest with herself, she only partly believed in herself.

"Anyway, this year, can you at least try to behave? I heard some rumours on you. Don't make me ashamed of your education," she said.

"Okay, mum," said Ian, with enough disappointment in his voice to make her mother chuckle.

"Now, go," she said.

Ian hugged his parents and high fived his brother, who gave in reluctantly, but still did. Ian then turned to the train. He began to walk along the platform, looking by the windows of the cars, in search of familiar faces. When he finally found them, he climbed up in the car and went to knock on the door of one of the compartments, which shades had been brought down.

"Hey! Is there anything else than losers in there?" he called.

"Why don't you come in and find out, loser," came the reply from inside.

Ian, grinning, opened the door, only to receive a black pointed hat in the face. He caught it before it fell on the floor and threw a feint withering look at the people inside. Three third years were sitting in the compartment. Two boys and a girl. The hat was missing from the girl's head, who was acting as if she wasn't seeing him. She had her nose buried in one book. The usual, coming from her.

"What was that for?" asked Ian, as he tossed her the hat back.

"You're late," said Kieran McDougall, catching it without raising her gaze. "Why is it that you're always late?"

She then had a mischievous grin. She had clear green eyes, and long silky chestnut hair. Her face, once she smiled, seemed to be always mocking, with her sparkling eyes. Ian had known Kieran forever. She was his oldest, his best, and his most faithful friend. They shared everything together, from hours of study to plans for mischief. Well, in truth, Ian was more into mischief, and Kieran usually put together plans to get him out of the messes he regularly walked in.

"How was New York?" she asked.

"Fantastic!" said Ian, who had spent august with his parents in a trip across the United States, ending in New York. "I've never seen a city like this. 'bout you?"

"Very good, too," she said. "I'll get my pictures from Paris in a few days. I'll show you. Beautiful city."

"So we're what, invisible?" asked the taller of the two boys sitting in the compartment, taking the other one as witness. "Not even a good morning?"

"Well, you know… ladies first;" said Ian.

"A Lady? Kieran? Since when?" asked Terry Longwand, just before he in turn received Kieran's hat right in the face.

He grinned only wider and Kieran stuck out her tongue to him.

"How was this summer, Joel?" asked Ian to the third, after he had shaken hands with the two boys.

"Boring," groaned Joel Andrews. "My parents had work to do, so I was stuck in my neighbourhood, with only Muggles to talk to. I mean, they're cool, but it kind of gets old, after a while. Especially with the lousy weather we had in July… TV, Playstation, DVD, TV Playstation, DVD… I can only take so much of that."

"Yeah, boring," said Ian, trying to sound convinced.

The fact was he had absolutely no idea of what Joel was talking about. He knew that all these names designated Muggles gadgets, to watch movies, and stuff. But he just couldn't figure how it worked. Joel was a muggle-born, but he was clearly more attracted by the wizarding world than by his parent's way of life.

"So," said Kieran. "Did you hear the news?"

"About what?"

"The New Defence Teacher," said Kieran.

"Yeah, that'll be awesome to have him full time."

"I wonder what he will be doing first," said Terry.

"I wonder what he's doing now," said Kieran. "Imagine, it will be his first start of term as a teacher. That must be a weird feeling."

* * *

This was by far one of the weirdest feelings of his entire existence. Harry James Potter looked in the mirror, and what he saw didn't please him that much. He was looking at the face of a 24 year old man, and that man was about to face his most delicate challenge ever.

Today, he would greet his first years of students. Today, he was beginning his new career as the Defence against the Dark Arts Teacher of Hogwarts.

Harry had faced many challenges in his life. Seven times, he had faced the most dangerous Dark Wizard of the century. Two years ago, he even had faced a threat coming from the most ancient Age of Wizarding history, by destroying, alongside with his friend Alexander Lockenburn, the Seal of Chaos. As a Seeker for the London Falcons, he had won the National Cup of Quidditch three times in a row, and the British team had won the World Cup last year, mainly thanks to him. Not that he liked to boast about it, but that demanded guts even he had to admit he had.

All these challenges had made him able to face anything… anything except a class of students. In spite of what all the other teachers of the school, save of course for Severus Snape, he didn't feel ready. He was caressing the thought of fleeing on his broomstick before lunch. That would hurt the reputation of bravery of the famous Harry Potter but, hex, that was maybe for the best.

"Harry? Are you alright, in there?" asked a soft voice from outside the bathroom of his new apartment in the South Tower of Hogwarts Castle.

"Yeah," he answered.

But the tone of his voice mustn't have been convincing, as the door opened behind him, freeing some steam from his still recent shower. The lovely woman that entered smiled at his face in the mirror. Harry wondered for a second at the fiery red hair, the bewitching eyes and the smile she only had for him.

Ginny Weasley had been sharing his life for more than two years, now. When Harry had moved in Hogwarts, she had moved in with him. Harry knew he could count on her for anything, that she understood the least of his worry.

But now, she seemed to find the situation very amusing.

"All worked up again, aren't you, Potter?" she said, with a grin, wrapping her arms around his waist.

Harry knew it would be useless to protest. He nodded.

"Come on, Harry, you can do this," said Ginny. "You already have done this," she reminded him, kindly.

That was true, of course. During his fifth year, he had taught some students, including Ginny and his best friends, Ron and Hermione Weasley, how to defend themselves against the Dark Arts. And during the last year, he had again taken over some practical lessons with advanced students.

"What are you worrying about?" asked Ginny. "Everything will be fine, you'll see."

"At least, you've stopped to joke about it," said Harry, reaching for her hands with his.

"I'll joke about it after your first lesson, when you will have realized that this was no big deal after all."

"It's a huge responsibility, Gin'," said Harry.

"Yes, but you're used to those. You have taken on your shoulders more than any of us, already. And you have succeeded. You're a great wizard, Harry. You will teach these students very well, and they will be ready for the outside world."

Again, she was appeasing him. This was one of the things he loved the most about her. Whatever his mood could be, she was always finding the way to relax him and thanks to her, he was now more comfortable about today. Of course, the lessons wouldn't start before the next day. But he remembered how important the arrival at Hogwarts had seemed to him, during his studies. He wanted to make a good impression on the students.

"If you don't feel really at ease, think about the way Hermione handled the Arithmancy lessons," said Ginny, smiling.

"Gee, thanks," said Harry, wincing at the memory.

His best friend, Hermione Weasley had taken over the lessons of Professor Vector, last year. And it had been a huge and terrible thing to live for her. She spent half the year in panic, certain she wouldn't be able to keep up the pace with the students. When it became apparent that none of them could match wits with her, she had developed a dread that she was too expectant of her student's intelligence. Her husband Ron had then taken matters in his own hands and told her she needed to knock it off, just do what she felt like. By now, she was used to the demands of her job, and this year would be quite better. Harry knew how to avoid the same thing to happen to him.

He just hoped that this first year would go well.

* * *

"So, how do you reckon the year will go?" asked Kieran, still hesitating between sharing her thoughts with her friends and going back into the Standard Book of Spells, Level 3, by Miranda Goshawk. She had already gone through half of the book, and it was fascinating.

"I just can't wait for it to begin. With Alexander, we'll be starting charms this year," said Ian.

"How a half-pint like you has such a power inside of him is still beyond me," joked Terry. "I still say it's unfair."

"There's got to be some compensation," said Ian, with a sort of philosophy in the tone. "I'm short, right, but still, I can kick your…"

"Of course, you can," said Terry, mockingly.

"You're not that short," said Kieran, smiling. "You're still taller than let's say, my brother."

"Oh, thank you, K, just the kind of cheering up I need," said Ian.

Kieran's brother, Romeo, was tall for his age, of course, but as he was nine years old… And Ian wasn't that short anyway, like Kieran just said. He was shorter than Terry, but not by much.

Ian's power, as Terry did mention it, was one of a kind. Ian knew he was part of some weird branch of magic. Some people called that being part of an elite. He didn't. These gifts had brought him enough trouble for any normal wizard's life.

Ian Malcolm was a Chaotician. He was a wizard that had the power to use Magic at its purest level, instinctively, without any wand. That sounded very nice and, on the whole, it was. But at the beginning of his life that had caused some trouble, as it was a gift as hard to control as it was rare. The random bursts of magic common in young wizards, like a sneeze that made the whole tea set jump in fright, too dramatic proportions in Ian's case. The last time he had sneezed loudly at school, it was in his second year. His sneezing had shattered the crystal in the Great Hall's chandelier.

So his gifts demanded a special training and for that, when he had entered Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he had become the apprentice of a very special teacher: Alexander Lockenburn, known by many wizards under the nickname of the Entropist. Alexander wasn't as famous as, let's say, Harry Potter or Albus Dumbledore, but he was a fascinating character. And he was a hero, as well. He had saved the world twice from a menace coming from the Forces of Chaos, once, during the Second Wizard War, and a second time, when he had fought alongside Harry Potter against a witch that was trying to use the very dangerous Seal of Chaos, an artefact from the legendary Builders.

Ian liked Alexander as much as he disliked Professor Snape, and that was saying something. More than a teacher, Alexander had become a friend during the years he had taught him how to master his gift. And Ian was looking forward to see him again. And to see how was Phyllis…

* * *

"Are you okay, love?" asked Alexander Lockenburn's voice through the bathroom's door.

"No, I'm not okay! I'm pregnant, Alex," said his wife Phyllis, sarcastically, washing her face in front of the Mirror. "How do you think I can feel in the morning? I still can't believe that nobody has ever created a spell to suppress the morning nauseas."

The door opened, and Alexander entered the bathroom. Luckily for his survival, he didn't seem to mock her. His smile was more sympathetic that ironic.

"This will pass," he said, throwing his arms around her waist, softly.

He kissed her in the neck, tenderly. That made her giggle, and dissipated her bad temper a little.

"Did I tell you that you look amazing today?" said Alexander in her neck.

"No, but you can say it again, if you want. I need to be convinced, you know. I feel ugly, you can't imagine how much," groaned Phyllis.

"Well, you. Look. Amazing. Today," said Alexander with a grin, puncturing each word with a kiss down her neckline.

"Thanks," said Phyllis, turning to him for a kiss. They parted after a long embrace; and stayed silent for a moment.

"So, Ian's coming back today?" she asked after some time.

"Yes," said Alexander. "I know he's anxious to begin Charms with me. His letters were quite excited, during the summer."

"And how's Harry feeling about his first day as a teacher?" asked Phyllis.

"Complete and total panic," chuckled Alexander. "But he'll get a grip. Hermione finally did, so I guess he'll be fine."

"It's funny to think that someday this little baby will be taking lessons from our friends," said Phyllis, leading Alexander's hand to her belly, so he could feel the life growing inside of her.

Alexander had this particular gift to feel the energies around him such as magic, and life. And Phyllis had been very happy, the day Alexander had felt the life of their child to be born, just by touching her. It was a very special way to share this part of her life with the man she loved.

They were married for a little less than one year, now. They had celebrated their wedding on Halloween day, last year, as this had been the day they had gotten together, one year before that.

"So, now you will have an excuse to neglect me a little more, won't you?" said Phyllis teasing.

"May I remind you that you're the one who still goes to your Office every day in this apartment. You didn't even take a break from work, once you learnt of that pregnancy."

"I don't need it yet," said Phyllis.

Alexander hadn't risen for the bait. She was teasing endlessly for his egoism over the way she was expecting their child. But she was quite aware that he had been always here for her, since they found out about it. Phyllis couldn't forget the look on Alexander's face when she had announced it to him. He had never seemed so happy.

"Life's going back to normal, I guess," she said. "From now on, you will have to work with Ian, and I will go back to work."

A little sadness was clear in her voice, as she had really enjoyed the summer vacation. Alexander had been available full-time for her, and the two weeks vacation she had taken from Gringotts had been a perfect moment for them.

Alexander kissed down her neck again, to comfort her.

"Hey, do you expect life to be normal in this place?" he said.

Phyllis smiled.

He was right. Nothing in Hogwarts was normal, and it was much funnier this way. And even if her husband would be less available from now, she was enjoying the idea of another year, with new students running the corridors. And old familiar faces. And even maybe some new ones…

* * *

"Someone new, here," said Terry, looking at the window.

"Terry," said Kieran with patience. "We get new people each September, you know. They are called first years. Repeat after me, 'first years'."

She wasn't pulling away from her book, as they all waited for the train to start. Ian and his friends were always early on the spot, to be sure to have a compartment for them. They also dressed into robes quickly, once they were on the train. That was a way to begin the "Hogwarts atmosphere" early.

"Ha-ha," snickered Terry "If this girl is in first year, I'm too young to be in Hogwarts," said Terry.

Ian and Kieran shot an intrigued look through the window.

A beautiful blonde girl was walking along the platform, with a trolley in front of her, looking around with wide eyes. She looked a little lost. Terry was right, she was clearly older than them. She paused with her trolley next to their car, looking slightly confused.

Terry slid the window opened and called out for the girl.

"Excuse me, are you lost?" he asked.

"Pardon?" said the girl. "Oh! No, I'm not lost, but I was wondering if there were specific places to board the train."

She clearly spoke with an accent.

"Specific places?" repeated Ian. "You mean by age, or something? I don't think there are. Except for the prefects…"

"So I can get on the train wherever I want?" asked the girl.

Ian nodded.

"You want to ride with us?" offered Terry.

"Well, yes, thank you."

Terry suddenly jumped on his feet.

"Alright," he said, on a decided and mimicking a heroic posture. "C'mon, Half-pint, to the platform!"

He went to the door of their compartment. Ian exchanged one surprised look with Kieran, but he followed his friend onto the station platform. Terry gestured to Ian and reached for the girl's trolley. They pushed it to the car's door and stopped at the steps. Ian shrugged off Terry's offer to help him lift the trunk inside. Instead, he closed his eyes and the trunk began to levitate, and entered the car. Ian climbed in and landed the trunk on the floor. With an impressed whistle, Terry joined him and they heaved it in the nets of the compartment that were meant to conceal it during the trip, while the girl was nodding shyly to Kieran and Joel, shooting stupefied looks to Ian.

"New trick?" asked Terry, casually.

"Homework for the holiday," said Ian, shrugging.

"Does every student do that in Hogwarts?" asked the girl, looking curious.

"Oh, no," said Terry, passing one arm over Ian's shoulder. "Ian is our local little freak," he added, ruffling his friend's hair.

"Get off me, dung head" said Ian, impatiently.

"Boys, seriously!" said Kieran, sighing. "Don't listen to these idiots," she added Kieran, shutting her book close.

She turned to her and smiled in welcome.

"Now they're through with their usual routine, maybe I'll introduce everyone," she said, with a stern look at her friends.

Ian only chuckled.

"So, I'm Kieran," she said. "This is Joel, and the two show-offs here are Ian and Terry."

"At your service, Miss. I'm delighted to meet you," said Terry with a wink, and his most charming smile, which earned him a swat behind his head by Ian.

"Me too," said the girl, smiling broadly. "My name is Julie Carteret."

"Oh! You're the foreign student, aren't you?" said Kieran.

"What?" said Ian and Joel in unison.

"Professor Flitwick told me, when I met him in Diagon Alley, that a foreign student would be transferred here this year," explained the young girl. "So you're from France?"

"Yes," said Julie. "I'm from the school of Beaubâtons."

Ian could now tell that her accent was French, but it wasn't really strong.

"A french? Oh, cool!" said Terry, enthusiastically. "Je souis enchantae de savoir vous. How did that sound?" he asked, with the most charming smile he could muster.

Julie winced a little.

"Well, if you wanted to tell me you're glad to meet me, that was pretty awful," she said with a smile.

"Ouch," said Terry, with a chuckle. "There goes my career as a french ladies man. Anyway, in which year are you?" he added.

"I was supposed to begin my fifth year in Beaubâtons," said Julie. "So, I guess I'll start there."

"Told ya she wasn't in first year," said Terry, triumphant.

"That was obvious," said Kieran, making a face. "So, I hope to see you in Ravenclaw."

"Raven… Oh yes, the Houses. I heard about that, but I don't really know how it works. I have read on Hogwarts a little but it wasn't giving out these details. How do you know you have to be in one house?"

"Oh, well, it's simple," said Ian, with an apologetic look to Kieran, who was about to answer. "The Sorting Hat will tell you were you belong. It's a hat that is bewitched to read your mind and find what your main quality is, so it can Sort you."

"Quality?" said Julie, puzzled.

"Well, the Sorting Hat was Gryffindor's. He bewitched it so the school would still choose the students according to the traits they liked after their death. The four founders of the school had special preferences to choose their students. Rowena Ravenclaw wanted them to be eager to learn and very savant. They must want to learn and to know things. Godric Gryffindor praised the wizards with a strong heart and bravery. He wanted them to be willing to face any challenge. Helga Hufflepuff didn't care about power, bravery or other stuff, as long as her students were loyal and hard-working, willing to do their best. And Salazar Slytherin was willing to educate ambitious wizards. He also was praising the purity of the blood of wizards, against muggleborns. You can guess that the Slytherins are not really friendly folks."

"You are not in Slytherin, are you?" asked Julie.

"No," said Kieran. "Joel, Ian and I are in Ravenclaw. Terry's in Gryffindor. Besides, Ian is exagerrating. All Houses are good and respectable."

"Maybe Slytherin isn't, K," said Ian with a wince.

"Come off it, Ian," said Joel. "You don't like them, but Julie will have to build her own opinion."

"I read about the Slytherin Rebellion," said Julie. "The papers had talked a lot about this. I was young when it happened, but I heard about it."

"This is totally different," said Ian. "These students were linked to the Death Eaters, as they were their sons and sometimes daughters. Snape has taken his distance with these folks. He's the head of the House in Hogwarts. So we can't accuse all the Slytherins of being dark wizards."

"So why don't you like them?" asked Julie.

"Because they are jerks, gits, you name it, their head full of contempt and disdain for any kind of "disgrace for the name of Wizard". Are you a pureblood?" he asked her.

"Well, I'm a half-blood actually," said Julie. "My Dad's is a Muggle. Does that make a difference?"

"Muggleborn, like Joel, here, don't tend to end up in Slytherin," said Kieran. "Half-bloods sometime do, but you never know, really," said Terry.

"What does your Dad do?" asked Joel, interested, since she said he was a muggle.

"He's a pilot," said Julie.

"That's cool!" said Joel. "My Dad is a Doctor, and Mum's architect."

"What's a pilot?" asked Terry, interested.

"A person who flies aeroplanes," said Julie.

"The big things with the wings that go across the sky? Wow," said Terry, impressed.

They began to talk a lot about the Houses, the Cup, which led them to talk Quidditch. Julie was fascinated by it. She admitted that she played back in her school, and that she was a huge supporter of the French Player Arnaud d'Avranches, who was currently playing in Chudley. They talked a long time, until the trolley carrying the food passed before their compartment. Julie bought a little of everything, to have a taste of English food.

"You've never been in England before?" asked Kieran, astonished.

"Well, once, when I was a very little girl," answered Julie. "Why?"

"How can you speak English that good?" marveled Kieran.

"Oh," said Julie, blushing. "I had an excellent teacher and she used a few spells on me to help assimilate the language."

"What's up, Terry!" said a voice coming from the alley.

"Come in and find out, Rob," said Terry in response.

Two friends of Terry entered the compartment, smiling at everyone, broadly for one, more discretely for the other. Rob Drakefang was a towering fellow. He had gone through a sudden growth and was now bigger and wider than most students. He was a tall, brown haired boy, and he was so energetic that he was sometimes a little goofy with his now muscular arms. The other one offered a more striking vision. Like Rob, he was in fifth year and in Gryffindor, and he already wore his school robes. He had long brown hair that had ateint of red in them. They were tied in a curious ponytail that started near his neck, which was new for everyone in the compartment. His name was Kenneth Lionheart.

Kenneth marked a visible pause, when he entered, since he sent a long look at Julie. Ian saw Julie return that look with some strange light in the eye. It was very fugitive, but something seemed to pass between the two. Julie returned smiled politely, if only a little embarrassed at the attention.

Kenneth seemed to get back down to earth, and took on seat, facing her.

"Julie Carteret," said Terry, who as usual, hadn't paid any attention to that, "Let me introduce Gryffindor's finest, my good fellow Rob Drakefang, and the more discrete, and yet very distinguished Kenneth Lionheart. They are both in my House, In fifth year. Guys, Julie is transferring from France."  
"Oh, yeah, I've heard about your coming," said Rob. "Jennifer said something about that. Welcome to Hogwarts."  
"Glad to meet you," confirmed Kenneth, with a smile, that looked, for lack of better words, shy, though that seemed to be putting it mildly.

* * *

"Me too," said Julie, with a timid smile.

She was feeling very odd. The moment she had seen him, Kenneth had made a strange impression on her. There was something special about this boy. She wouldn't be able to name that for the world, but something was very curious about him, like an intensity. His look had shown that somehow, he had felt the same. She hoped she would be able to keep her calm and not start to blush in front of him. That would be quite a start with the Hogwarts boys!

While she was recovering from the striking encounter with Kenneth Lionheart, the conversation had gone on about the boys' vacation. And suddenly Terry caught everyone's attention.

"I will stop this delightful conversation for a short moment, folks, and ask what the hex is going on with Kenny's hair?" said Terry.

"Oh, call him Kenny again, Longwand," laughed Rob. "Just to bump down your chances at survival this year."

"And my hair is none of your concern," said Kenneth, with a patient sigh.

"It suits you," said Kieran.

"Thank you, Kieran," said Kenneth, with a long nod of gratitude. "It's a family tradition."

"So," said Rob, with a friendly smile to Julie. "Fifth year, huh?"

She nodded.

"If you want me to show you around, you only have to ask," said Kenneth.

But he didn't seem so sure of himself.

"That would be nice," said Julie.

"You could at least wait to see if she will be in our House, Kenny," said Terry, mockingly.

That seemed to shake some of Kenneth shyness.

"For the last time, Longwand, if my parents wanted me to be called Kenny, they would have named me Kenny," he smiled.

"And besides, do I have to remind you who you're always hanging with, in your free time, O, you disgrace to the pride of Gryffindor," insisted Rob.

"Hey! These are my best friends!" protested Terry. "I've known them for years. It's not my fault if they couldn't make it the House of Glory and ended up in Ravenclaw!"

"The House of Glory?" noted Joel, coolly.

"You're really going to use that formula?" insisted Ian. "The 'House of Glory' and we 'ended up in Ravenclaw'?"

"It seems you won't need Kenneth's help to end up dead, after all," chuckled Rob. "Anyway, I stand to my point. Since you're friends with the witty ones in Ravenclaw, why not be friendly with Julie, even If she doesn't get in Gryffindor?"

He then turned to the three Ravenclaw third years.

"Don't take any offence, but Terry is taking his spy role too seriously," he said winking. "We told him to stick with you so we can find out stuff about your team's next strategy, for the Quidditch Cup."

"I knew there was a reason!" said Ian, acting like he was hit by a huge revelation, making everyone laugh.

"May I remind everyone in this place, than none of these pathetic bookworms is in the Quidditch team," said Terry.

"That makes you a pitiful spy, that's all," said Kenneth, winking to Ian.

"Wow, Kenneth, what happened to you, this summer?" asked Terry. "You actually grew a sense of humour?"

"Terry, if you had paid attention, you would have noticed that Kenneth sends mean jokes, when he wants to," said Rob. "I guess you've never been at the receiving end of one of his spikes."

Julie chuckled a little. Kenneth saw it, and he began to blush! Wow! thought Julie. Does he…?

She couldn't carry on the thought, as something came crawling on her lap, and bit her finger.

"Ouch!" Julie cried, surprised. " Oh, non, Marie, ça va pas recommencer!(*)"

Ian shot a quick look at her and saw her put one hand in her pocket and take out a little white mouse, who was resting on the palm of her hand.

"Is that your pet? A mouse?" asked Kieran. "It's so cute!"

"Yes, she's my pet and she's a pest, when travelling," said Julie. " Oui! Une vraie peste!(**). And don't give me those eyes, you understood me perfectly, Marie."

She was now talking to the mouse, which seemed to react to every word.

"Does she understand what you say?" asked Ian.

"Oh yes, she does," said Julie, frowning at the mouse. "Although she pretends not to. She's bewitched. She's smarter than normal mice. She's a Souricier. It's a French word. It's a very rare species of magic mice. Oh, can those eyes get even bigger?" she said, looking at the mouse, who had very sad eyes now. "I told you I would speak English here. Don't' be so stubborn! So calm down, please."

The mouse suddenly climbed swiftly up her arm and rubbed her nose against Julie's cheek. Julie chuckled.

"Good girl," she said.

"How can a mouse express so many things?" said Ian in disbelief.

"Souriciers are like this. And Marie's a very clever one," said Julie, caressing her mouse's head with one finger.

The mouse yawned, and took refuge on Julie's shoulder, to close her eyes and fall asleep.

Julie made a face.

"And, now, I'm condemned to move very carefully, so she won't wake, or else she'll be grumpy for the rest of the day."

"She's adorable," said Kieran, who couldn't tear her eyes of the little sleeping mouse.

"Most of times, she is," confirmed Julie, with a grin.

* * *

"So, who do we got here?" said a voice from the alley.

The door slid open to leave passage to a young third year, wearing his Hogwarts robes and his Slytherin colours well in evidence. Ian narrowed his eyes when he saw him. Ian was a reasonably easy boy to live with. He didn't hold harsh feeling for long, with one glorious exception: Timothy Macke and his gang of friends. The hatred between those two was growing into the stuff of legends.

"Oh yeah," said Timothy Macke, with a sly grin. " The freak and his friends. See you still give that abomination the mercy of your friendship, Longwand?" he told Terry.

"Still do, Macke," said Terry. "Still plaguing those poor asses with yours, Macke?" he added with a nod to his gang.

Macke's eyes narrowed in contempt.

"Why do you keep that up, every year? Just beat it, Macke," said Joel.

"You shut up, Mudblood," said Macke with an hostile grin.

Ian had his wand in his hand within seconds. But Julie stood up, getting in his way to curse him. Terry had to move quickly to catch the protesting magic mouse, which had fallen off Julie's shoulder with a squeak. Ian thought for a second that Julie would prevent them from hurting Macke. But she slapped the boy right in the face, hard. Macke lost his balance, and fell against the door.

"Apologize! Right now!" said Julie, getting her wand out of a strange pocket under her robes.

She pointed it at Macke, who went paler. But, instead of apologizing, he ran out of the compartment. Julie, put back her wand in her pocket, still looking furious.

"Wow," said Terry, Joel, Will and Kenneth, round eyes trained at her.

"Definitely not fit for a Slytherin," said Ian, grinning. "You made yourself an enemy, today," he added to Julie.

"That kid? That won't scare me," said the blonde girl. "How can you stand such words?" she asked Joel.

"I'm used to it, when it comes to Macke," said Joel, with a fatalist shrug.

"Well, back home, that word isn't tolerated in my school," said Julie.

She put back her wand in the strange pocket Ian had noticed. It seemed bound to her waist. Kenneth seemed to notice it, as well.

"What is that? A holster?" he asked, as Julie was sitting back.

Julie smiled and got the thing out of her robes. She displayed it for everyone.

"It was my grandfather's," she said. "He was a duelling Champion, like his brother. He always carried his wand in it. He passed it on to me the day he retired. I was six year old."

She seemed to remember the moment with joy. Kenneth seemed to understand and did not push the issue.  
Ian then noticed something else. Julie had two earrings on one ear. He checked the other, and it only bear one silver ring. That wasn't unusual, but Ian found the other ring fascinating. Julie noticed his look.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked.

"No, I just never saw a jewel like this," he said, pointing to the ear ring.

"Ah," said Julie. "It's a family legacy as well. My mother gave it to me once I got my first earrings. She had it from her mother. One of my cousin has the other ring."

"It's beautiful," said Kieran.

"Thanks," said Julie, blushing again.

Ian studied the earring some more. It had a very strange design. The little golden ring was engraved with silver, and, hanging from the ring, a half disc of dark gold was engraved with silver and platinum. It wasn't huge or something like that, but it was really detailed. And, like Kieran had said, very beautiful. Coming to think of it, Ian found that Julie was really beautiful. But the reflection wasn't going really further, as she was already two year older than him.  
But the year promised to be interesting.

When the Hogwarts Express arrived at the Hogsmeade station, all the students were told to leave their trunks and stuff behind. They all got off the train. Julie was still with Ian and his friends, when someone walked up to them.  
The woman was clearly an adult, but she was far younger than the witches Julie expected to teach in Hogwarts. She had to be around twenty five. She wasn't wearing school robes but ones of dark silk, with light blue motives sewed over it.. She had brown eyes, and curly chestnut hair, a little bushy. She smiled friendly to Julie.

"You're Julie Carteret, aren't you?" she asked. "I'm Professor Weasley. I must lead you to the Headmaster before the feast begins. Follow me, please."

"Oi, Hermione!" said a booming voice. "Watcha doin' here?"

A huge man walked to join them, with a huge lantern. He was as hairy as was humanly possible. Julie had seen him once or twice before, when he had come to visit her Headmistress, Madam Maxime, in Beaubâtons. His name was Hagrid.

"I'm welcoming the transfer student," said Hermione with a smile. "She's from Beaubâtons," she added.

"'See," said Hagrid. "Welcome to Hogwarts," said Hagrid. "'Am sure yeh'll like in here. But' it's not like yer school, yeh'll see that. Careful not to catch a cold in there."

Julie could tell that the gigantic guy was smiling, from the sparkles in his eyes. She nodded with a smile.

"Well, see yeh in the Feast, then," said Hagrid.

Then he turned to the platform and called with his booming voice.

"Alright First Years! This way! Come on, don't be shy!"

Julie didn't say anything but she thought that this voice was a really good reason to be shy for eleven year old children. Professor Weasley rolled her eyes, as if she was sharing the same thought. She smiled and nodded to Julie to follow her.

They walked to a carriage that was pulled by strange winged horses, that were looking like ghosts. Julie threw them a curious look, that Hermione noticed.

"Do you see the Thestrals?" asked Professor Weasley.

Julie nodded and the Professor's expression saddened a little. Julie wondered why, but the smile went back quickly on the woman's face.

She got on the carriage, and Julie followed her. The carriage started to roll down a large way. Julie looked at the surroundings, all plunged in the dark. At some point, Professor Weasley pointed to the right window of the carriage. Julie threw a curious look by the opening, and he mouth fell open.

Growing closer, and its tower reflecting the moonlight, A huge Castle was right in front of them. A castle like nothing Julie had seen before. She had always found the Beaubâtons Castle too tidy and neat for her. This one seemed to promise wilder and more adventurous moment for her future years of stuffy.

"This is…" began Julie, looking for an appropriate word.

"Fabulous? Beautiful? Fantastic?" offered Professor Weasley.

"Yeah, Fantastic!" said Julie.

"I know, I've felt the same when I first came here. Of course, I was younger than you, So I thought "wicked!" instead of "Fantastic", but the idea was there."

She smiled.

"You did all your studies here?" Julie asked.

"Yes, in Gryffindor," said Professor Weasley. "So, do you like the castle?"

"I love it," said Julie.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, then," said Professor Weasley.


	3. Hogwarts' New Staff

**Hogwarts' new staff**

* * *

The Halls of Hogwarts had always been a source of wonder and fond memories among many generations of wizards. If all wizarding children couldn't be bright students or enthusiastic students, they still all enjoyed their school years, because they happened in th Hogwarts. The idea of learning magic in a castel haunted by ghosts next to a forest full of weird creatures would be fascinating in itself, and the place was actually very fun to live in.

But all schools, magical or not, had their bullies, and those who suffered from their harassment. Norm Walters, Slytherin fifth year was such a bully. For him, "to begin the year properly" meant to take on a few second years, if only to remind them who was the boss, around here, and make sure that younger students remembered the respect owed to the older students, more precisely the Slytherin sixth year, and even more specifically, him.

So Walters was going for some of his threatening routines, such as the famous 'you stepped on my foot', which was a classic. And it was, of course, effective.

The poor victim was a young second year, out of Hufflepuff, named Jeremy Willowleaf. He was cornered against the walls of the Entrance Hall, sending helpless looks to his classmates for help, but it was no use. He was surrounded good and proper by more than four snickering Slytherins, from fifth and sixth year.

That was enough for Kenneth Lionheart. He had caught sight of the scene at the second he had passed the threshold of the Castle. Kenneth gave Rob Drakefang a light tap on the shoulder, before to stride across the hall, and then roughly push his way among the Slytherins to step between Walters and Willowleaf.  
"Back off," he said, decidedly.

"Would you look at that!" laughed Walters, stupidly. "If it sin't "Heart-of-a-lion"? Love what you did with the hair, Lionheart. It's very... girly."

That elicited more snickering from the Slytherins. Kenneth held his eyes without flinching.

"I notice you didn't do anything with the head over the summer, Walters," he said. "Still pretty windy up there, isn't it?"

Walters' laugh died out.

"You're calling me stupid?" he barked.

"Honestly, if you have to ask..." Kenneth let his sentence die out, with half a smile.

"You must feel pretty lucky to come and face us on your own, Gryffindor scum," said one of Walters' goons.

"Who says he's alone, nitwit?" said the voice of Rob over the bully's shoulder.

The Slytherin gang turned to find themselves facing all the boys from Gryffindor's fifth year. Rob Drakefang was a massive fellow, and the sight of him rubbing his knuckles was impressive in itself. But when one added to this Teddy Cage, just standing there, his Quidditch Keeper built doing all the talking. And Anthony Field and Will Tyler had their wands out.

"Why don't you go on and drag your hides into the great hall before you get into serious trouble, here?" said Will, dead serious.

Walters seemed about to object, when one of his pals nudged him in the ribs and nodded toward Will's Prefect badge. Walters had a grunt before to turn back at Kenneth.

"Newt time, you won't be so lucky, Lionheart," he growled. "You won't always have your precious prefect pal around to back you up."

"Oooh, I'm shaking, Walters," said Kenneth. "By the way, 'precious prefect pal" is quite a mouthful for you. You've taken english lessons, this summer? We kinda lost hope for you, you know. We thought you would be stuck with Troll Speak forever."

Walters' eyes shone in anger, but he stomped away. Rob maintained a straight face until they were out of sight. Then he couldn't help it and burst into laughing.

"Troll Speak?" he exclaimed. "How do you come up with those, seriously?"

"It's a gift," shrugged Kenneth, before to turn to the Hufflepuff second year. "You're okay, kid?"

"Yeah," said Willowleaf. "Thanks for stepping in."

"Our pleasure, kiddo," said Rob, with a toothy smile. "A year hasn't really started if we haven't messed with the Slytherin bullies. I kinda hoped Walters had been expelled, though. That would have raised the school intelectual average... dramatically."

"Well, I heard his exam results are abysmal," said Will. "But his dad is connected with the Board of Governors, so he didn't get kicked out. A pity."

"Thanks, anyway," said the Hufflepuff boy.

He joined his friends and hurried to the Greal Hall. Rob turned to Kenneth.

"I assumed the tap on the shoulder was a request for back up," he said. "Why didn't you get your wand out?"  
"I don't need my wand to deal with Walters and his bullies," said Kenneth, with another shrug. "But, still, thanks for the back up."

"Don't mention it," said Rob. "Come on, I'm starving."

The incident behind them, Kenneth followed his friends across the Entrance Hall.

As always, Kenneth was returning to Hogwarts with something like jubilation, but that was tinted with a sense of foreboding he couldn't explain. It was as if something huge was going to happen to him this year. He pushed that away and focused on the most important. He was back in the school that he loved so much.

He looked around while walking to the Great Hall with the other students. He had to suddenly duck, to avoid Peeves when the Poltergeist tried to dive on the group, his usual way of greeting students. Peeves floated away, cursing like mad, after he had hit a wall. Kenneth smiled. He had even missed Peeves and his antics.

The students entered the Great Hall and quickly took back their places at their House tables. Kenneth was soon joined by the others fifth years. Among them, Kalindra Jonhson, his best friend made some compliments on his new hair cut, which seemed to amuse Will and Rob very much.

Kenneth didn't mind the teasing coming from her. And he wasn't about to give up this hair style, anyway. After what had happened this summer, he was now allowed to wear it. It was a tradition. Thinking of this summer made Kenneth think again of his father's warning. It rang in his head endlessly.

_Remember, Son. You're not like all of them. You must stay out of these duels that always take place in a school, you hear me? This is very important. What's in your blood mustn't be used lightly. Remember that…_

Kenneth sighed. He wasn't about to forget this. His father had seemed so serious while telling him this, that Kenneth knew he had to be careful. That would mean another year with a low profile. And of course, that would mean that he had to be careful not to get too much into trouble. With anyone. He hated that thought. It was like hiding. And some people were keen on using this against him. Always easy to strike an opponent who wouldn't strike back. Quickly all the tables filled up, except for the first years.

Kenneth was looking at the Teacher table, when Dumbledore joined it. As usual, Dumbledore didn't carry any trace of his age on his face or in his walking. It was a strange feeling to think that this man was at least one hundred and fifty years old, and didn't seem to be caught up by age. Every familiar faces were here beside him. From Snape to Flitwick, and at one table's end, Ronald Weasley was sitting, waiting for his wife, the Arithmancy teacher to join them. When Kenneth saw two new faces, he recognized one at once. It was the new Defence Against the Dark Arts Teacher. The famous Harry Potter. The woman sitting beside him, Kenneth didn't know. She was gorgeous and had flaming red hair. As all the others teachers were here, she had to be just with Professor Potter. His girlfriend, maybe.

Dumbledore stood up from the table. Kenneth was surprised, as it was usually when the first years were about to face the Sorting Hat that the headmaster was beginning his speech. Professor Flitwick called for silence, by tapping his wand on his glass, which made it rang strangely. The echo flew to the magic ceiling, spreading in the hall, until everyone heard it. Silence fell on the Great Hall. Flitwick then nodded graciously to Dumbledore, who smiled.

"Thank you Professor, very interesting spell. I'll have to remember it."

There were some laughs, but silence soon resumed.

"Welcome back to all our students. Another year is now about to begin. I hope it will be a rewarding year for you all. Every year, we welcome new students," said Dumbledore. "They are young, at the beginning of their journey in the world of Magic. Every year, the students hope that our new friends will be as good as they have hoped to be. And the teachers… have hopes of their own, and they'll never stop having them. But this year is slightly different. This year is the first year where a foreign student will join us, at the request of our friends of Beaubâtons Academy. So before the first years enter this Hall for their sorting, let me introduce to you Miss Julie Carteret, from Paris, who will finish her studies with us. And we must now learn in which House she will reside."

Kenneth saw Julie step up to the stool, walked by professor Weasley. She took her seat, there, looking a little uncertain, and Professor Weasley put the Hat on her head. Kenneth surprised himself crossing his fingers. The hat seemed to ponder his decision. Then he rose up a little and shouted.

"Gryffindor!"

The table exploded in welcomes. Kenneth smiled widely. She was going to study with him! He suddenly wondered why he was thinking this. He barely knew her, why was he so excited? Well, if he considered it honestly, she was a beautiful girl. And there was something mesmerizing in her blue eyes.

He welcomed her cheerfully, as the fifth years were moving to make room for her. Julie sat in front of him. She smiled.

"I guess I'll have to show you around, finally," said Kenneth, grinning a little shyly.

"Hey," protested Will. "I'm the prefect, if you don't mind, Lionheart. Will Tyler," he added, introducing himself to Julie. "This is my job to show people around," he added, smiling.

"Thank you, Will, but Since Kenneth offered to help… I'm sure you'll be busy enough with the first years, anyway."

Will made a face, then sighed.

"Yeah, I guess," he said.

He turned to Kenneth, and threw him a dark look.

"Lucky bastard," he said, on a feint grim tone.

Julie chuckled lightly, blushing again. Kenneth rolled his eyes. Will always tried to play the charmer, but this time he had been kindly shot down. The girls surrounding Julie then coughed to draw attention.

"Hello, Julie," said Kalindra. "My name's Kalindra Johnson."

"Nice to meet you," said Julie. "Johnson… are you related to Angelina Johnson?" she asked.

"You know my cousin?"

"Well, not on personal basis," said Julie. "But I saw every single match of the World Cup, in France, last year. She's amazing!"

"That's for sure," said Kalindra. "Do you play Quidditch?"

"Yes, I usually play Chaser," said Julie. "But I guess the team is full here."

"There are tryouts for the team, this year," said Will. "We need two new Chasers. You should try."

"Great," said Julie.

"Name's Mandy Williams," said a short girl with untidy black hair.

She was wearing three rings in one ear, and two in the other. She had a huge amount of make-up under her eyes. Kenneth had always liked her. Mandy was very funny, and you could stay with her for hours, just listening to her speaking endlessly. Kalindra and Mandy were his closest female friends and Kalindra was often on the receiving end of his rants.

Kenneth saw Jennifer Windhill bend over the table to greet Julie. She did it with her usual poise and dignity. She fancied herself to have a ladylike attitude. Kenneth knew she was nice, but sometimes, he thought that Jennifer was just trying too hard. Slowly, most of the people that were surrounding them, ending with Marion Sweeney, introduced themselves to Julie, who was feeling more and more comfortable, apparently, as she smiled more frankly at everyone.

Kenneth saw the first years enter the Great Hall, forming a line behind Professor McGonagall. They looked pretty intimidated. As he followed their walk from his seat, Kenneth's eyes met with Robert Donahue's. The tall boy, with dark black hair noticed him and threw him a contemptuous look over the Hall, from the Slytherin table.

To say that Donahue wasn't the person Kenneth liked the most in the school was quite the euphemism. He and Donahue had had issues since the beginning of their second year. Kenneth was still fuming about the various insults and provocations the Slytherin sent his way. The problem wasn't that he was insulting. That was the usual between Gryffindors and Slytherin, after all. The problem was that Kenneth couldn't fight back, really. His father's warnings prevented him to strike back at Donahue and shut his mouth once and for all. Besides, Donahue was popular, and not only among the Slytherin students. He was a Prefect, which meant he was respected, and he was said to be a handsome young man, even for Gryffindor girls. That was the only point of disagreement he had ever had with Kalindra. So Donahue, strong of the support of many students, was doing everything he wanted, under the protection of his House Head, Professor Snape. And Kenneth hated that pride of his, since he already had to suffer from it. The spite between Donahue and him wasn't going away anytime soon.

The Sorting began, under the surveillance of Professor McGonagall. Kenneth tore his thoughts away from Donahue and looked at the young first years being sorted in the Houses. But at some point, he caught himself looking neither at the Stool nor at the Sorting Hat, but at Julie and her beautiful face. He forced his eyes back to the Sorting. It was then that he noticed something about the Headmaster's eyes. Dumbledore was looking straight at Julie, who was unaware of that attention. Kenneth knew that as a new student, Julie was bound to be the subjects of many interests. But Dumbledore's look was mysterious. He was looking as if he knew something that even Julie didn't.

_Weird_, thought Kenneth.

* * *

"RAVENCLAW!" shouted the Hat, sorting the last student, Wayne Yanko. Professor McGonagall rolled her parchment, and took away the stool and the Hat.

Ian welcomed Wayne in Ravenclaw like the others, and then turned to Dumbledore as the Headmaster was standing up again. The old wizard raised his hands to call for silence.

"Alright," he said. "Now that we are all here, there are a few things that I wish to announce. First years, you should note that wandering around the Castle is allowed only during your free time, and as long as you remain far from the Forbidden Forest. Most of you would believe such a ban is in itself a reason to go explore the Forest, but I must insist that this Forest is very dangerous. Our Caretaker, Mr. Filch, has also told me that a new list of forbidden objects is readable near his office door, for those who would be interested. And before we begin the Feast, I'd like to announce other news to you. First thing, we decided to re-establish the tradition of the Yule Ball, but for each year in Hogwarts. Thus the last evening before the holidays, students over fourth year and their dates will be invited to this Celebration of the Christmas Holiday."

There was a huge cheer from all the tables. Ian saw most of the girls of his year exchange a desperate look. They were disgusted not to be allowed to go, for just one year. Kieran didn't seem to worry about this. Instead, she shared Ian and Joel's bemused look on the exact interest of such a thing in the school. Ian shrugged.

"Well, there will be a lot of giggling in here around Christmas," he commented.

Kieran smiled at him.

"You got to understand these girls," she said. "They'll have to find a date to get into the ball. They'll have to speed up their search for a boyfriend."

"What's the point?" said Ian.

Kieran made a doubtful face, clearly unsure of the reason that was pushing her friends to seek the access to the Ball. Dumbledore called again for silence.

"Some students here will be unaware of it," he went on, "but the House of Ravenclaw has a yearly tradition as well."

Ian's attention was suddenly entirely on the Headmaster.

"It is called the Silver Quill Challenge," said the old wizard. "A contest of wits and knowledge that students choose to enter. They enter it as teams, and they try to solve a magic puzzle set up by the teachers. The team that wins the Challenge earns the right to bear the Silver Quill, a sign of distinction that proves to all their intelligence."

"Not something a few guys here would know anything of," said Mark Jevons, under his breath, pointing at Norm Walters, which made Joel chuckle.

But Ian was still listening intently to Dumbledore.

"I have discussed a little project with Professor Flitwick," he said. "And, since the expansion of knowledge is a goal of the House of Ravenclaw, he has agreed with me that the Challenge should be opened to the entire school. Any student may enter the challenge, as long as they do it by teams of three wizards. I will place an urn in the Great Hall, where the applications must be dropped before Hallowe'en. We will then reveal the teams and the nature of this year's challenge to the whole school. The reason why we open this contest to all is to entice the students to challenge themselves. We know that fame among our students is often linked to the way they play Quidditch. I think it is time to give a chance to other students to shine, with their wits alone."

Ian looked around at his Housemates and everyone at the Ravenclaw table suddenly stood up and started clapping, as it was customary when the Silver Quill challenge was opened each year. This little ceremony would usually take place in the Ravenclaw Common room, but Ian kinda liked the idea of a challenge open to the whole school. It would be a little more exciting.

* * *

The rest of the students joined in applause, but they were more hesitant, as if they weren't sure what to make of this. After a whole minute of solemn, clapping, the Ravenclaw sat back and Dumbledore called again for attention.

"Now, I would like to go back on the subject of studies, if you don't mind. We do, indeed, live in a school, so the subject needs to be mentioned at some point," he said, making a few people laugh at his tone. "As you may have noticed if you're not blind as a bat, we have new faces at the Teacher table. In fact, Professor Armstrong has decided to retire. I'm sure you already know our new Defence against the Dark Arts teacher, since he has been visiting us all along last year, and thus will join me to welcome him in Hogwarts on a permanent basis: Professor Harry Potter."

Harry stood up, a little uneasy with the huge storm of cheers and applause from the Hall. He shot Dumbledore a sarcastic look. Dumbledore winked at him. That man had a sadistic streak in him that Harry would never had suspected until now. He sat back down after a while.

"The young lady on his right is Miss Weasley, who is guest of our Castle," Dumbledore went on. "You'll have to behave with her as nicely and respectfully as you do with the other teachers or staff members."

Harry winked at Ginny, who smiled timidly around to the students.

* * *

"I'm sure she his girlfriend," moaned Mandy, at Julie's side.

Julie chuckled a little. Mandy looked positively disgusted by this.

"Honestly, Mandy," said Kalindra. "What did you expect? He's twenty-four, he's a teacher, and of course he has a girlfriend."

"Well, it costs nothing to dream, right?" said Mandy with a sly grin.

"Well, if I'm to dream about the teaching staff, I'd rather dream about this one," said Kalindra to Julie, pointing discreetly to the Teacher table. "But yet again, his wife is sitting at his right side." She added with a sigh.

A tall wizard with light brown hair and brown eyes was sitting next to a beautiful redhead witch with long curly hair. He looked older than Professor Potter but not by much. And he was handsome, alright! Julie turned to Kalindra.

"He's gorgeous!" she said. "What does he teach?"

"Unfortunately for us, normal wizards, he doesn't teach us anything. He's in this school for only one student. He's Professor Lockenburn, and he's the Personal Teacher of this boy over there."

Kalindra pointed to a boy on the Ravenclaw table. Julie recognized him at once.

"Ian?" she said.

"You know him?" asked Kalindra, surprised.

"I met him on the train. He made my trunk float into my compartment," said Julie.

"He's a nice kid," said Kalindra smiling. "He's special. Very clever. Very funny, too. Strange he's not in Gryffindor. You want gossip, you go to Ian. You want something snuck inside or outside the school, you go to Ian; you want to place a bet on any event, you go to Ian. And he's a Chaotician."

"Chaotician? You mean that this guy is _the_ _Entropist_?" said Julie, her mouth agape in disbelief. "Wow! I read so much about him! And Ian is his pupil?"

"The exact term is apprentice," said Mandy, joining the conversation. "But Malcolm doesn't show off too much about this. Good thing he doesn't, considering."

"Why do you say that?" asked Julie.

"Because some people don't like Ian," explained Mandy. "They say he's a freak, an abomination for wizards. The last straw for our kind, honestly, but as it comes from Slytherin, that is not surprising."

Julie followed her look to the Slytherin table. There she saw the young git that had insulted Joel on the train. He had left his seat among the third years to speak to an older boy, who was looking at Julie, a clear look of interest on his face. Julie felt her pulse begin to speed up, when she saw this boy. He was handsome, with black hair and blue eyes. He had delicate features, but a strong masculinity emanated from him. He sat with poise and class, like some English lord, like those Julie had read about in these Muggle novels she had read as a kid. He was strangely attractive. He smiled to her, then turned again to the young boy. Julie felt her heart skip a beat and her ears started to feel warmer.

"Oh, no!" sighed Kalindra. "This little worm has managed to be on speaking terms with Robert. Alright, Julie, you have two kinds of Slytherins. The first kind, you can respect a little, and it's symbolized here by Robert Donahue, over there. He's in our year. The other kind is the one of this little git. Timothy Macke. He's arrogant, insulting, and basically, he's a jackass."

"Come off it, Kallie," said Mandy and Will at the same time. "Donahue's no better than Macke," added Mandy.

Julie turned to them, her eyebrows raised.

"I don't like the guy, that's all," said Mandy, while Will was nodding furiously.

"You're unfair with Robert," said Jennifer, severely. "You didn't have to suffer anything from him, did you? He's a decent young man."

"No," said Will. "He's a handsome man, that's why you're so tolerant. He speaks well, he's a charmer, he's popular. He stays a snake."

"What do you have against him?" asked Kalindra. "Seriously! He didn't do anything to you! You're pushing that House rivalry a little far."

Someone made a doubtful sound. Julie turned to the origin of the sound. She found herself facing Kenneth, who was looking straight at Donahue's face, with what looked like clear disgust. She was surprised. Kenneth didn't seem to be the kind of boy to be so hostile to anyone.

Kalindra saw the look on Kenneth's face, as well.

"Oh, please, Kenneth, this thing is getting old between you two," she said. "You can't stay angry that long."

"Forget it," said Kenneth, with a dismissive shrug.

"Men and their "honour" thing. It's ridiculous," said Jennifer, shaking her head.

"No it's not," said Rob, coming to Kenneth's rescue.

"What happened?" asked Julie.

"Forget it," repeated Kenneth, darkly.

"Leave it be, Julie," said Will. "You haven't been involved so far, so you'd better stay clear from these two guys when they go at each other. You'll get plenty of chances to hate Slytherins on your own."

Julie felt that it was a delicate subject and she dropped it. But someday, she would have to find out about this. It didn't seem right for Kenneth to look so angry at someone. He had given her the impression of a nice guy, with sweet manners and a calm nature.

She then noticed something. Professor Potter was looking at them. And more exactly, he was looking quite intensely at Kenneth. That look gave her a strange impression. It was as if Potter tried to remember where he had seen the young boy, before. But as it was the teacher's first year here, Julie couldn't think how it would be possible.

_Bizarre*_, she thought.

* * *

"Is there something wrong, Harry?' asked Hermione, noticing the look Harry was throwing to the Gryffindor table.

Harry gave a little start, and turned to his friend.

"No, I'm fine," he said. "It's just that I wonder where I have seen this student before. He looks familiar, somehow."

"During your practical lessons, maybe," offered Ron, his nose rising from his plate, which was quite a sign of interest for him.

Harry shook his head.

"No, he's too young," he said. "He's with the fifth years. So he couldn't attend them last year."

"What's the matter, Harry?" asked professor McGonagall, from Hermione's side.

"Well, I just wondered who this young boy with the ponytail, facing our French guest was. I feel like I should know him," explained Harry.

Professor McGonagall followed Harry's eyes, and saw which student he was speaking of. Her look saddened slightly.

"Yes, I guess you would feel that way," she said. "His name is Kenneth Lionheart."

Harry was surprised and his eyes hurried back to find the young boy's face in the crowd of students. He detailed him and understood.

"He's the son of Lancelot, right?" he asked.

McGonagall nodded. Harry could now tell the Lionheart in the young boy's face. There were traces here and there, and with the ponytail, he was a younger image of his father.

"No wonder he's familiar," said Hermione. "He does look like his father quite a bit."

"Especially with this ponytail," said Harry. "Do you think it means something?"

Dumbledore entered the conversation.

"Who knows?" he said. "But I've learned that everything has a meaning, with Clan Lionheart. We shall see the true meaning of it, I'm sure, during the year."

"Anyway, it seems that we have fascinating students, in this bunch," said Harry, with a smile. "With Ian, Julie Carteret and Kenneth Lionheart; we must prepare ourselves for a very special year."

"Oh, Professor Weasley," said Professor Flitwick, on his usual, cheerful high-pinched tone. "I'm sure you will like to have Miss McDougall in your class. She has chosen Arithmancy."

"The top of last term's second year?" said Hermione. "Well, I'm flattered."

"Do you remember what I told you about her, Hermione?" said Professor McGonagall, with a smile. "How she reminded me of you? Well, her third year promises the same kind of exploits."

Harry saw Ron's grumpy expression.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"Professor Weasley," he said, suddenly smiling. "I can't get used to it. It just doesn't fit the name, y'know."

Harry chuckled.

"Well, I'm sure that soon, it will," said Ginny with a grin. "Someday, the whole Weasley family will remember proudly the day when Professor Hermione Weasley joined the noble line. That is when you and the twins stop to be jerks about it. Of course, I'm not so sure I'm so pleased that the name Weasley is remembered because my sister-in-law has become the most extraordinary teacher in Hogwarts' history..."

"I'm hearing everything, you know," said Hermione, feigning a frown.

"Sorry, dear, did you say something?" said Ginny, with a wink that made Hermione laugh.

* * *

When the feast ended, Professor Dumbledore stood up again and the silence fell once more on the Great Hall. Ian made Joel shut up by an elbow in the ribs.

"Now, we are, I guess, ready to begin this new year," said Dumbledore. " I wish you all a good year and good luck for those who will have to face very hard challenge, such as OWLs and NEWTs."

A collective groan came from the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff table, at various places on the tables. Ian saw that Kalindra Johnson was telling Julie all the details of the capital exams that they would have to face, at the end of the year.

Ian thought of his own year, which was about to begin. He would start Arithmancy lesson, Rune Translation and Care of Magical Creatures. He had completely refused to study Divination, as it seemed completely useless knowledge. Better be prepared for whatever could happen instead of trying to see what may happen, according to him.

"So, Prefects will take the first years to the common rooms," Dumbledore went on, "and the other students may go. Have a good night. Well, I guess it's pretty all, then…" he added with a smile.

There were some chuckles in the Hall, and students got off the tables in total disorder. The Prefects tried to open a way through the crowd to leave passage to the first years.

At some point, Ian was pushed over by some Hufflepuff in a hurry, and he came to hit Robert Donahue, the Slytherin prefect. Donahue looked down on him. He had a tense smile.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," said Ian, straightening up.

He then stepped aside to let the first years pass. Some of them threw him some strange look, and even one muttered "freak" as he passed him by. Kieran put her hand on his shoulder.

"Forget it Ian, they're not worth the effort," she said, feeling that he was upset.

Ian was amazed of the way she could feel his moods change. He smiled.

"I guess you're right," he said. "Nasty little things, anyway," he added, looking at the first years of Slytherin.

"Remember the old saying: "Don't be cordial with snakes. They still will bite you.", said Joel.

Ian nodded. Donahue and his little classmates were now out of sight.  
When Ian and his friends walked out of the Hall, they walked by Professor Potter.

"Oh hello, Ian," he said, smiling friendly. "How was your holiday?"

"Quite good, Sir," said Ian coolly, in front of his fiends, which mouths were all hanging open. "I went to visit The United States."

"The States, huh? Never been there myself. I heard there are a lot of interesting wizard communities," said Professor Potter.

"Well, my parents took me to see some Indian shamans and stuff but we also went to a theme Park in Florida. It's called…"

"Disneyworld? Yes, I heard about the place," said Harry. "I've been raised by Muggles, that's quite famous among them," he said when he saw Ian's surprised look. "Well, I will see you in my first lesson, on Thursday morning."

Professor Potter walked away, and Ian turned to his friends.

"You know him well?" asked Edwin.

"Well, he's a good friend of Alexander, so I've met him once or twice," said Ian, hardly hiding his satisfaction to have impressed his gang so early in the year. "Oh, come on! He's not a god! He's cool, alright but he's a human being too."

"Well, you talk about human being, Malcolm?" said the voice of Tim Macke from behind them.

Ian, Joel, and Kieran turned to glare at him. Macke sneered.

"Do you even know what's a human being, freak?" asked the Slytherin boy.

"You're tiring, Macke," said Ian, sighing heavily. "Really tiring."

"What will you do about it, then? Blow me up or something?" asked Macke with a nasty sparkle in the eye.

He was teasing, of course, always trying to put Ian in trouble.

"Anyway, this Potter isn't that impressive," he went on. "He seems scared of us, if you ask me. What a teacher he must be if he's afraid of students."

"He's probably afraid that he won't be able to get anything worth learning through that thick skull of yours," said Ian, fiercely. "We'll see if you're so cocky when you face him in class. But you won't be, will you? You're really brave in words, Macke, but I still wait to see you put your money where you mouth is."

"Maybe you'll see it sooner than you think," said Macke between his teeth.

"I don't think so," said a voice coming from one of the staircases.

Tim's sentence wasn't really serious, it was more of a boast not to let Ian have the last word. Unfortunately for Macke, it had been caught by Alexander, who came down the stairs to join the small group.

"You want to behave nicely with every teacher, Mr. Macke," said the Entropist, looking down to Macke who had gone silent as a tomb. "If you don't, I'll be forced – no, let's be honest - I'll be delighted to report you to the attention of your House Head. I'm sure Professor Snape will be very careful that his own students are abiding by the School rules. You may go to your common room, now."

Macke shot a venomous look at Ian and Joel, and strode away. Alexander smirked and turned to Ian.

"How was this summer, Miss McDougall?" he asked Kieran, with a grin.

"Well, very good, Sir," said Kieran. "I've been to Paris with my parents."

"Paris," repeated Alexander. "Very nice city. The Muggle cars there are driven by madmen, but nice city all the same. Mr Andrews, yours?"

"Boring, Sir," said Joel. "I'm glad to be back here."

"That is good to hear," said Alexander, grinning. "May I have a word with Ian? He'll join you soon in the common room."

Kieran, Joel and the others nodded, and walked up to the Ravenclaw Tower. Ian smiled to his teacher.

"How's Phyllis?" he asked.

Alexander smiled.

"She's complaining, but you'll find she's in good health. I'm glad you're back. Now we can start fascinating things together."

"Just can't wait to see that," said Ian.

"So, this year, will you at least try and behave a little?" asked Alexander with a doubtful face. "Your attitude didn't fit the other Ravenclaws at all, you know."

"There must be some exceptions to all rules," said Ian. "That would be boring if not."

Alexander chuckled.

"I see that your parents still didn't succeed in taming you," he said. "Alright, our first lesson will be on Friday's evening. Is that alright with you?"

"Absolutely," said Ian. "When can I come to say hello to Phyllis?" he asked politely.

"Any evening now," said Alexander. "As long as you don't use it to avoid homework."

"Avoiding homework?" said Ian earnestly. "Why would I do that?"

Alexander smiled.

"Have a good night, Ian," he said. "Your new password is "Sophus"."

"Thanks. Have a good night, too, Alexander", replied Ian, heading for the stairs, leading to the "Nest".

The Nest was the name given to the Ravenclaw Common room by its inhabitants as it was perching the highest of all the students' quarters of the Castle. It was a tall, thin tower, with a spiral staircase that was climbing up to the floors. There was only one dormitory room by floor, and thus two floors by year. The large and cosy common room was on the base of the tower. Rowena Ravenclaw had added one room at the very top of the tower, called the Peak. It was a working room, where students could go to make their homework in silence, leaving the Common room for relaxing and sharing time with friends. Ian liked this place.

He stood before the Eagle statue of an eagle grabbing some parchment. This was the entry of the common room.

"_Sophus_," he said.

The eagle extended its wings, flapped them and the statue rose, revealing a passage under it. Ian walked in and emerged in the common room. He was greeted by some nods from people that were spreading in the common room, sharing some holiday memory, before to go to sleep. Kieran was out of sight, probably already up to her bed. Joel wasn't here either.

Ian took a deep breath, looking happily around him.

_Good to be back_, he thought, before to head for his room.

* * *

_* Bizarre is a french word that can mean « strange » or « weird », in english, because, yeah, she thinks in french…._


	4. A first time for Everything

**A First time for everything**

* * *

When Ian woke up the next morning, he felt pretty excited. They had returned to the Castle two days earlier and today, he would begin two of his favourite subjects: Charms with Professor Flitwick, and then Defence against the Dark Arts. And that would be the first lesson of Professor Potter.

He opened the curtains of his bed. Around him, his dorm-mates were waking up, slowly, their face evolving from sleepiness to excitement, as well. They weren't Ravenclaws for nothing.

"Hey, we have Potter today!" said Mark Jevons. "Can't wait to see how he teaches!"

"That'll be fascinating," said Edwin Ryley, very calmly.

Even if he was a friendly fellow, Ian and his friends had nicknamed Edwin the Ice Cube, as he never seemed to lose his cool outlook on things. He just didn't get either excited or angry, for that matter. He was always calm, composed, even in his way of walking. He wasn't slow, but he looked like was always taking his time. Something that was exciting for all the others students was only making him smile lightly. But he was nice alright. You just had to adjust to his behaviour. And all of the Ravenclaw third years knew ho to interpret those attitudes he had.

"Beware, Eddie," said Joel, teasingly. "You'll die out of enthusiasm."

Edwin only smiled and shook his head with indulgence. They all got up quickly, and got dressed. By the time they walked down the spiral stairs, they found the common room buzzing with activity, with many students walking out of the common room, heading for the breakfast table, in the Great Hall.

"Hey, guys!" said Mary Walburg, emerging from the stairs behind them. "Ready for the classes?"

They all nodded.

"This year, I won't let you beat me, Malcolm," she said, defiantly.

At the end of the last term, she had reached the third place in the grades of second year, right behind Ian, who was only two points ahead.

"Hey, why take it out on me?" he protested with a smile. "Why is it you're not challenging Kieran."

"I did, but it's hopeless, you know it," said Mary with a wince.

Kieran McDougall had been the top of the year since she was in Hogwarts. But last year, she had ended up way ahead of them, with full marks in five of her subjects. The subject of the discussion walked down the dormitories after Mary. She was with Diana Jones-Stickley. The tall browned-skinned girl seemed bent on talking Kieran's ear off in a flow of uninterrupted questions on the way the year would go, the subjects they would be tested upon, the exams organisation. Diana was anxious by nature and always needed to be reassured.

"Diana, please," said Kieran, after a while, with a sigh. "I'm sure the year will be great for you. Just try and relax."

"It's easy for you to say," said the voice of Gina Ribizzi. "Always top in everything, it's not like you have to worry, right?"

Gina was a nice girl usually, but she was a little jealous of Kieran's success in studies, and so she sometimes took it out on her.

"Come on, Gina," said Ian, gently. "Don't start this all over, right? Kieran still has to work hard to obtain these marks. You know it, given the amount of time she spends in the Peak."

Gina scowled a little, but she had to admit it was true.

"Yeah, I know," she said. "Sorry, K."

"No problem, Gina," said Kieran. "I hope you'll get in the team, this year," she added.

"Are you trying the team?" asked Joel.

"Yes," said Gina, smiling to him warmly, and blushing a little. "They need a seeker."

"Yes, I know," said Joel. "They need also a Chaser. Maybe we'll make it both."

"I hope so," said Ian. "Because Terry needs to have some of us in the team to keep his credibility as Gryffindor's spy."

"I thought you were the spy," said Kieran, with a severe look.

"Ah, but I spy for the whole school. My services are available on a broad scale, while Terry only spies for his Quidditch team," said Ian, feigning indignation. "That's not the same, I'm hurt you can't tell the difference."

"Seriously, Ian, what are you doing in this tower? You should be in Gryffindor, gloriously following the steps of the Weasley Twins," said Mary.

"No time for that," said Ian. "Too busy with the lessons."

They all walked out the Common room, laughing.

As Ian and his friends were making their way to breakfast, they ran into a few familiar faces. The start of the year was the chance to catch up with your acquaintances. You spent the first days of lessons reuniting with your friends, and re-establishing old hatreds, with Tim Macke, in Ian's case.

But it also was the moment you caught up with more distant relations.

Most times, a Hogwarts student's closest friends were in his own House, and usually in his year. The bigger the age difference, the more distant the relationship tended to be. But there were some exception. Terry, in Gryffindor, was a close friend of Ian's gang. And he himself kept close ties to the fifth year of his house that included Kenneth Lionheart and Kalindra Johnson. So the Feast of September the first was meant to reunite with your friends, and you had the following weeks to get in touch with the rest of the school.

For many students, it didn't mean much, but for Ian, it was a huge amount of work. Ian was the student everyone went to for rumours, secrets, bets, you name it. So it meant that he had a huge network of contacts, from students to teachers, and that needed to be kept alive. So most of his free time was consumed in talking to everyone, from House elves to ghosts, to make sure a rumour wouldn't get pas him. Kieran has once asked him why he was doing this. Ian couldn't explain it, except he felt it was fun. He liked being in touch with what happened in the school. And he had a gift at sneaking around that made him perfect for that. As for the betting, he had never sought the prestigious, yet dubious honour of being Hogwarts official bookmaker, but given his particular gifts, students had just assumed he would be good at it, and they had come to find him. Ian guessed that the Weasley twins had set the standard in Hogwarts. The ones who mastered the sneaking in the school, held the betting pools. Instead of refusing and taking the risk of letting things go out of hand, he had decided to play along. Alexander said he was a victim of his own success. The Entropist seemed to find it funny as hell.

Sure, Ian was a household name in Hogwarts, but that meant that he had to keep up with the news. As a result, everyone came to say hello, share a few gossip on his way to class and each time he was in the corridors, actually. So Ian had to wave back at a few people on his way down to breakfast. Holden Teapot from Hufflepuff, a fifth year, caught up with his gang and told Ian that a few people in his house wanted to set up the Quidditch Cup betting pool as soon as possible, if that was alright with him. Janet Spencer, Slytherin Prefect of the same year, came to say hello and hesitantly told Ian that a few people in Slytherin would like to place bets on the Silver Quill Challenge. This came as a triple surprise for Ian and his friends, first because the Challenge had never stirred such attention so early in the year, second because they wouldn't have expected Slytherins to express interest in it, and last because to see Janet speak with Ian about bets was quite the shocker. But he thanked her for the heads up anyway.

As they were reaching the Entrance Hall, Ian saw a clear change on Mark Jevons' face. The boy was such an honest fellow that you could see his emotions on his face as clearly as words on the page of a book. The shift in his expression told Ian exactly who had come into his sight, before he even saw her. He followed Mark's dreamy stare and, no mistake, there she was. Mark's obvious crush on that girl was a clear fact and a source of gently teasing for all of the Ravenclaw third year.

Alwena Silverleaf. Gryffindor fourth year and a stunning beauty. Whenever she walked in a room, one could almost imagine music cueing in to underline her appearance. She had shiny honey blonde hair and striking blue eyes, which were so clear that they were nearly silver. And when she smiled, many students of all year, including poor Mark Jevons, stopped thinking and reverted to the intellectual level of turnips.

Where beauties like Alwena sometimes were shallow, self-absorbed, or simply too dumb to bother, the girl was a fun loving, energetic witch, and that made her pretty popular. To those who thought she was too good to be true, one could say that Alwena Silverleaf had quite a temper, as well, and an acidic tongue, which made you want to stay on her good side. A few students, including male ones owed her a black eye. She wasn't a Gryffindor by mistake.

A decent student, Alwena hadn't pushed the cliché and had nothing to do with the Quidditch team. In fact, her flying was calamitous. But her looks, her temper and the flair she had shown in a few fights, made her a famous witch of Ian's school years. Ian also knew that she was of French descent, even if she had been in Hogwarts since first year, instead of transferring like Julie. Ian liked Alwena. She was a nice girl, but he didn't feel the need to gape at her like Mark did, every time she walked by.

Alwena waved at them friendly, and they waved back, even if Mark's wave was a little weak, like he wasn't really focused on his moves. As she was entering the great Hall, Ian saw many of her Gryffindor Housemates follow her and among them, he spotted Terry. He hurried to join them.

"Alright, my dear half-pint," he said, as a greeting. "I have your first bits of gossip of the year. The frenchie Goldie-locks has applied for the Quidditch team. I've seen her broom. It's pretty good, so there is something there. And in other news, Henry and Vanessa have broken up."

"Oh, that's a shame," said Gina, sadly. "They were such a great couple. What happened?"

"No idea," shrugged Terry. "But they are deadly cold to each other. It kinda weighs on the whole seventh year, to be honest. The mood is pretty depressing in their gang."

"Okay, nice to know," said Ian. "We'll be careful with them, then."

"You do that," smiled Terry. "Oh, Mark, I thought you should know… early signs indicate that Wena Silverleaf still doesn't have a boyfriend, so…"

"Oh, sod off, Longwand," groaned Mark, making the whole gang laugh.

When they reached the Great Hall, the breakfast tables were nearly full. Ian and his friends settled where they could. Ian took the time to shoot a venomous look at Macke, who was sneering, looking at him. But he didn't bother much more.

"So, what is the program, for this year?" he asked, taking his seat at Kieran's right.

"Well, first, we have the new options," said Kieran. "Arithmancy will be just great. Professor Weasley is a very bright woman. I've talked to her once in the library. She helped me with some tricky charm."

"Tricky, you mean a spell for the OWLs or for the NEWTs exams?" asked Ian.

"Er… well, for the OWLs," admitted Kieran, with a blush.

"And you want to catch up with this?" he asked Mary, who burst into laughing.

"And we have the Hogsmeade Week ends," said Joel. "I've never been there. It will be intensely cool. I can't wait to go to Honeydukes! I heard it's fantastic."

"Alright, we have to make plans for the first week end," said Ian.

"It's in more than a month," said Kieran, on a patient tone.

"The sooner we're ready, the better," said Ian, dead serious.

* * *

After breakfast, Julie was about to discover the worst subjects in the school, according to Mandy and Kalindra.

"Potions and History of Magic," wept Mandy, leaving the table. "How could they do it to you for your very first day here?"

The black-haired girl and Kalindra had proclaimed themselves as Julie's guides in Hogwarts. They didn't leave her for a second. They led her in the corridors leading to Potions class. And still Mandy was moaning over Potions.

"Is it that bad?" asked Julie, a little worried.

"Not really bad," explained Kalindra with a grin. "But Snape is the most unpleasant teacher of the entire school. It has become a tradition for us Gryffindors to loathe the guy. He will jump at any motive to take points from us. I heard he's done this since he's become a teacher, some sort of grudge he has against Gryffindor. Word is… it has to do with Professor Potter's father."

"And what's wrong with History?" asked Julie, sobered from her enthusiasm for Potions after Kalindra's little speech.

"If Snape's the most unpleasant, then Binns is by far the most boring one," said Kalindra.

"I'm afraid I must agree on this," said Jennifer, catching up with them. "Professor Binns' goal seems to be to turn every single one of us into ghosts like him."

"In English, he's boring to death," added Will Tyler, with a toothy grin.

"Thank you for that precision, William," said Jennifer coldly. "May I remind you that as a prefect, you shouldn't speak ill of teachers that loud?" she finished on a whispering tone.

"Nobody will ever be perfect enough to match your own standards, dear," said Will.

Julie suppressed a chuckle as Jennifer was looking at Will with haughtiness. She turned from him, and walked away, her nose high.

As they were walking to the dungeons, where they would have their first Potions lesson of the year, Julie saw that Will kept on teasing Jennifer endlessly. She gave an interrogative look to Kalindra.

"What's the deal with those two?" she asked.

"That's quite simple," said Kalindra. "They fancy each other but get so much at each other's nerves that they would rather die than admit it. I give you the tip right away, so you don't get surprised."

"They're cute, if you ask me," commented Mandy, with a sly grin.

"They're wasting time, if you ask me," said Julie, which made the three of them laugh.

As they reached the dungeons, they were greeted by the vision of Slytherins waiting at the door of the classroom.

"Are we sharing Potions with those gits again?" asked Mandy with a frown.

"Apparently," sighed Will.

Julie noticed then that one of the Slytherins was eyeing her very closely. She recognized him. Robert Donahue. The handsome guy from the Feast. They waited a long moment, and Professor Snape came, quickly opening the dungeon's door. Julie saw Kenneth move quickly aside, to leave him passage.

"Well, inside," he said, with an unctuous voice that sounded all but sincere.

Once everyone was settled (Julie noticed that Donahue had seated right behind her, and the impression of his eyes on her back make her blush slightly), Snape turned to Julie.

"Since we welcome a new student in our year, I'll have to check on her level in Potions, of course, as we must be sure, she'll be able to sit the OWLs exams that will take place at the end of this term. You should be warned that I will not accept in my NEWT, next year, any student who won't be able to reach an E in his OWL in Potions. And that is only because Professor Dumbledore insisted I did so. So reaching an E will be a challenge. Therefore, I will note you all along this year with the OWL standards. I expect the students of this class to reach at least an A in any exercise. Those who won't will have to undergo additional homework. Am I perfectly clear?"

Everyone nodded.

"This Potion we will deal with today may seem complicated, but as it is regrouping most of the basis of brewing, it will be a very good way to judge the knowledge of Miss Carteret."

He shot Julie a strange sort of look, curious mix between dislike and interest. Julie shifted on her stool. Snape looked away. He waved his wand to the blackboard.

"The composition of the Potion appears on the board. You can start… now."

Julie began by noting carefully the basic instruction, as her own teacher in France had once told her. She then began to prepare her ingredients. She could feel the eyes of many students as she was working. And when she raised her gaze to Donahue, he smiled at her encouragingly. She smiled back and went back to work.

By the end of the lesson, she put a stopper on a bottle, labelled it with her name, and went to put it on Professor Snape's desk. Snape looked at the potion, with a pensive look.

"Well, it seems like, for once, special students do take their studies seriously," commented Snape with a drawling voice.

Julie avoided his gaze and went back to her cauldron, cleaning up everything. She was gathering her belongings, and she was looking for her bottle of Dragon's blood, when it appeared right under her nose. Robert Donahue was holding it out to her. She caught it with a grateful smile.

"Thank you," she said.

"You're welcome," said Donahue. "I don't believe we've met. I'm Robert Donahue."

He held out his hand.

"Yes, I've heard about you," said Julie, taking it

Donahue raised it to his face and planted a slight kiss on the back of her hand. Julie blushed really hard this time. Her chest seemed to echo the pounding of her heart. Donahue smiled mischievously.

"Don't believe anything they say, then," he told her. "And if you ever need any help with Potions, you can ask me whenever you want. I'm pretty gifted at that, even if I'm not at anything else."

"Well, thanks," she said. "Err… I got to go, now," she said, showing her friends waiting for her.

"I'll see you soon," said Donahue, with a smile that showed he was looking forward to it.

He let go of her hand slowly. And she managed to grab her bag, walking away from him slowly, aware that she was smiling stupidly. Donahue didn't depart from his open smile.

Julie joined Kalindra and Jennifer, who were grinning knowingly. They both grabbed her arms and dragged her out of the dungeon, toward the upper classrooms, where they would have History of Magic.

_Oh, my goodness,_ who _is this guy? How can he have such an effect on me?_ thought Julie.

And then she realised something else that sent a tingling feeling across her whole body.

_He seems to like me._

"He's hooked," said Kalindra.

She and Jennifer started to giggle. Julie rushed out of her thoughts.

"What?" she said.

"He likes you, that's certain," said Jennifer.

"Come on, he hardly knows me!" protested Julie, despite being elated they shared her impression.

"Like it has ever stopped anything," said Kalindra. "I told you he was nice, didn't I?"

"Well, he's pretty sure of himself," said Julie. "But he's handsome! Wow, I thought my heart was jumping out of my chest, when he kissed my hand!"

"What did he want?" asked Jennifer.

"Well he introduced himself, and he offered to help me in Potions," said Julie, still pretty excited.

"Like you would need his help," said a voice from behind them.

The three girls turned to se who was talking. It was Kenneth.

"What do you mean?" asked Julie, surprised.

"Your Potion was the only one who had the right nuance of red, so you're better than him in brewing, apparently," said the young man.

"Well, thanks," said Julie, not sure of what it meant.

"Just stating the facts," said Kenneth, shrugging.

"Oi, Lionheart, we're waiting for you," said Rob Drakefang, ahead of them. "Are you too busy trying to woo the girls or what?"

Kenneth smiled and shook his head.

"See you in class," he said, before he picked up the pace to join his friends.

Kalindra looked at him in disbelief. Then she looked at Julie, then at Kenneth again.

"What's wrong?" asked Julie.

"I don't believe it," said Kalindra. "He talked to you… and he made a compliment?"

Julie was puzzled, but Jennifer shared Kalindra's look of disbelief.

"What?" said Julie.

"Kenneth Lionheart has never spoken three words to a girl except for us in five years in Hogwarts," explained Jennifer. "He's like that."

"Really?" said Julie.

"He's hooked as well," said Kalindra in disgust. "Two in less than two days. We'd better pick our choices right now, Jenny, or that chick will steal us all the best guys of the school. First she conquers the hottest guy in the year, and then she unfreezes our Kenneth..."

"Don't be ridiculous! They're not 'hooked'!" protested Julie.

"They are," sighed Jennifer. "Too bad. I guess we will end up with the likes of Will Tyler and Rob Drakefang."

"As if that would really bother you," said Kalindra, laughing. "I wouldn't complain about Rob, for my part. He's grown into such a hottie."

They started to laugh again. But Julie felt uneasy. Were these two boys so fond of her? She couldn't believe that she could be so attractive. She told that to her two friends who looked at her, eyes widened.

"And she's blind, to add on things!" said Kalindra in disgust. "Someone give a mirror to the girl."

* * *

Harry took a deep breath, still in his Office. He knew that the students were now waiting for him in the classroom on the other side of the door. He remembered the different entries of his various teachers in the Defence against the Dark Arts, from Quirrell to Lupin, with Lockhart, the fake Alastor Moody, and the Late Professor Bishop.

He couldn't just do the same thing as Lockhart!

An image formed in his mind. Himself standing before the class, pointing at a photograph of himself which was winking.

_Me, Harry Potter. Seven times defeater of Lord Voldemort, Winner of the last world cup and of the National Quidditch Cup three times in a row. But let's not talk about this… When I got rid of Lord Voldemort, that wasn't by catching a snitch under his nose..._

Harry felt a shiver down in spine. That was too ridiculous too even think about this.

_Oh, come on, Potter, you've seen worse than that. You've had two of the worst teachers in history. You can't be worse than Lockhart and Umbridge!_

He took another breath, expired deeply.

"Come on, Potter, Showtime," he said, smiling at the call that his coach was giving him at each beginning of Games in London team.

He pushed the door opened and entered the classroom. The students fell silent. Harry felt the weight of dozens of pairs of eyes on him. The class was composed of Ravenclaw third years. He recognized Ian Malcolm, Alexander's pupil, in the front rank. He walked to his desk, and nodded discreetly to Ian, who smiled and winked.

"Good Morning, Class," he said. "As you know it surely by now, I'm Harry Potter and from now on, I will teach the Defence against the Dark Arts in this school."

The students were listening intensely, with eyes fixed on him. Harry was under the impression that they were waiting for him to begin to float in the room with some kind of halo around his head. He knew that the first impression on the first class would be very important, especially with Ian sitting in this class, as Ian was the first source of rumours in Hogwarts, these years. He might as well set his way of dealing the lessons right now.

"Alright," he said, sitting casually on his desk. "I guess I won't have to introduce myself more precisely, given the expressions of the faces I see in the class. Am I correct to think that everyone has already talked about me at length, Mr. Malcolm?"

Ian gave him a little smile and nodded.

"At length, Sir," he said.

"So, to all those students who would have heard about me from their classmates, or by any other way, let me dispel some rumours or ideas you could have on me. First, I'm nothing of some kind of Hero with superior powers. This description should only refer to Professor Lockenburn."  
A little chuckle ran through the class. Harry felt some of his nervousness fade away.

"Second, in spite of all that you may have heard, I'm not someone with a superior wisdom or any superior knowledge. Any praise regarding wisdom should only refer to Professor Dumbledore. As for the knowledge, you should also check with Professor Weasley. I know her, she's a well of science."

The smiles grew wider on the faces.

"So why am I here?" said Harry. "That's quite simple. I'm here to share some of my experience with you. It is true that I've been confronted with many challenges and that it has given me some knowledge of what a wizard should fear, or should be ready to fight. And I hope I will be able to teach how to fight these things. Hopefully, you won't have to face those kinds of challenges, but in the case you should, I'll do my best to prepare you."

The silence in the room was really intimidating. Harry got off his desk.

"Now, you are in third year, so you have learnt the basics in Defence such as protection spells and the most common creatures that may try to harm you in the "outside" world. So, this year, we will focus on the most dangerous creatures you may have to face in the wizarding world, and the way to fight them, destroy them, or make them flee. This year we will cover the boggarts, and the incantation that will allow any wizard to get rid of it, and we will increase the difficulty along the year, with trickier creatures and more dangerous ones. By the end of the year, we will study the Wild Werewolves and Dementors, and the different means to repel, conquer, and even kill them. By this time, exams will be at hand. You will have a theory exam and some practical test for this subject. This is something you're now familiar with, as Professor Armstrong had created this new exam for years now."

He marked one short pause.

"So before we begin," he said. "Does anyone have a question?"

Some hands rose in the air.

"About the course?"

The hands stayed in the air.

"I should have known that," said Harry, with a smile. "Ravenclaws, right?"

Some chuckles in the classroom.

"Alright, Miss McDougall, you first," said Harry, pointing at Kieran, Ian's best friend.

"Sir, are we going to study other things than creatures this year?" she asked, in a tone that suddenly took Harry back in his own school years, and he heard the echoes of Hermione's eager voice.

He had a smile.

"That will depend on the way we progress. If we're through with Dementors before Easter, I will set some extra lessons about duelling practices. I heard that some students tried to create a Defence Association, recently. I will watch this kind of things closely. This can't be allowed in Hogwarts."

Most of the hands went down, but Ian's shot up in the air.

"Yes, Mr Malcolm?"

"I heard you were the first student to create the DA, Sir," said Ian. "And now, you forbid it?"

"I'll set things straight, right now," said Harry. "The DA was a very, very special case. It stood for Dumbledore's Army at the time, not Defence Association, like many believe. We were students that were worrying about the way the lessons were given in the Defence class. The teacher of this time wasn't really a teacher but some political move against those who believed in Voldemort's return. We needed to be prepared for War. So we decided to teach ourselves. These were dark and different times, where Lord Voldemort was threatening our very future. I do hope that you won't need to resort to such measures in this year. First, because I hope you won't have to defend yourself against another dark Wizard such as Voldemort. And second, because I hope I won't be as pitiful a teacher as Professor Umbridge was. And, I must add that this association had the support of Headmaster Dumbledore, at the time, even if it was clearly unofficial. The other associations that took place after that weren't authorized. Because many of them were nothing than a place to learn how to jinx your fellow students. The original DA only aimed at learning how to defend ourselves, for reasons of extreme necessity. This is why any association aimed at Defence will have to be granted my authorization. I may accept some constructive project, but I won't tolerate any deviation."

The students nodded. Ian's hand stayed down.

"So, now, we will begin," said Harry. "I'll begin the year with boggarts, as I told you. On the next class, we will have a practical lesson with one boggart, so I will see if you understood right what we will discuss today."

He sat behind his desk. Now his nervousness had faded. The students were listening hard, even harder than he had ever listened to a lesson himself. He had to admit that beginning his first lesson with Ravenclaws was easier than to begin with Slytherins.

"So, who will tell me what a boggart is and what it can do?" he asked.

He knew that someone would come up with an answer. And, no mistake, three or four hands rose in the air.

"Miss Ribizzi?" he said, pointing to her.

And his first lesson began quite well, as the young girl was giving the precise definition of the boggart he had learned from Remus Lupin, years ago.

* * *

_Not so bad, for a first, Potter, _he told himself.

Now, to say that all of Harry's lessons went that good would have been an exaggeration. If Harry was now quite confident in his approach of teaching, he was on the other hand, less at ease with some of the Slytherin students. They didn't cause him trouble, but he didn't like the way they were looking at him during the lessons. Of course, not all the Slytherins were that hostile. But he had spotted some that were potentially a problem.

"This Macke," he told Hermione, when having lunch with her, on Friday, at the end of the third week of the term. "Nasty little clone of Malfoy."

"Yes, I know," said Hermione. "I've got him in my Arithmancy lessons. He's always trying to pick on Ian Malcolm. But Ian seems to be among the most gifted of the group, with Miss McDougall. She's really brilliant, that one."

"Oh yes, I figured that out," said Harry. "Very close to someone I know. She's shooting her hand in the air as quickly as you did, back then."

"Oh, thank you, Harry, that is very, very interesting," said Hermione with a dark look.

"So, who would be the most promising student in your opinion?" asked Professor McGonagall, at Hermione's left.

"Well, if you set apart Miss McDougall and Ian, who are really brilliant," began Harry, "there are some promising students in third year, especially in Ravenclaw. Gryffindors are eager, but unruly. Slytherins in third year are an awful bunch of contemptuous rich boys, but we should beware of Wilfrid Venansius, one of Macke's cronies. He's too bright for his own good. There is a very bright one in second year. He's in Hufflepuff. I was surprised, too," he said when Hermione raised her eyebrows. "But he's very smart and he learns very quickly. And he prefers to help his friends rather than shining in class. That's surely why he's in Hufflepuff."

"And beyond third year?" asked Professor McGonagall.

"Well," said Harry. "This fourth year isn't very good, unfortunately. Some are doing very well, but the average is not that promising. I think Alwena Silverleaf is good enough, but she's kind of lazy."

Hermione nodded in agreement.

"But in fifth year, I noticed some Slytherin students that were quite good in Arithmancy," she said. "Miss Spencer, the prefect, is a very serious student and Mr. Donahue is pretty sharp," she said.

"Yes," said Harry. "But he's also very sure of himself. A little over-confident, if you ask me. On the other hand, maybe Kenneth Lionheart could do great things if he start to be a little more confident."

"Speaking of Gryffindor," said McGonagall, "what do you think of our foreign student?"

"She's bright," said Hermione. "She has a very strong mind."

"And a pretty strong will," said Harry. "She resisted many things I tried on her. And so did Mr. Lionheart. I'd say he's very strong-willed, and pretty gifted with a wand."

"That's not surprising, Harry," said McGonagall.

"No, I guess it isn't.," said Harry.

They went on over the students subject for some times. Then Harry turned it to Quidditch.

"So this week end, are the Gryffindor tryouts?" he asked McGonagall.

"Yes, we will pick up two new chasers."

"I'll have to see that," said Harry.

* * *

This was even worse than she had feared it would be. First, she didn't have a clue that the tryouts would be public. Trying to earn her place in the team was one thing, but doing it in front of so many students was a completely different deal.  
And worst of all, Professor Potter was sitting in the stands, with Professor McGonagall! Being the living legend of Quidditch he was, being ridiculous in front of Harry Potter would be the ultimate shame.

_Come off it, Julie,_ she told herself. _You were in your school Quidditch club, and you had a team of your own. You were good. No reason you would be ridiculous here._

The candidates were flying around the pitch to warm up their brooms. Julie was making perfect circles around the pitch, testing the speed limits of her broom, which she had brought in her trunk. It was a personal creation of one of her uncles, who was making brooms for Professional Quidditch players. He had called it the Julie1, on her measures and specifications.

While flying, she saw that the stands had a lot of spectators, looking at the tryouts. Two persons stood out, because they were looking straight at her. Robert Donahue was sitting at one end of the stand, near the Slytherin part of the seats. She felt suddenly completely lost. To think of failing in front of him was too terrible to endure. She saw him looking at her and smile. He was here to see if she was gifted on a broomstick. Maybe he was scouting for his team, or he was trying to pay attention to what she liked. She wasn't sure which prospect would put the biggest pressure on her and which would please her more.

On the other end of the stands, Kenneth was also watching her. But there was something different in the way he was looking at her. He wasn't smiling to be attractive, he wasn't waving. He was just watching her. And she could see in his eyes that he was watching her moves carefully. Then, he seemed to be satisfied, and shifted his focus to another candidate.

She leant on her broom and flew over the stand. She passed Kenneth, who just followed her with the eyes. She passed Donahue who waved to her. Julie waved back.

Well, at least, Robert does seem to be here for me, thought Julie, as she saw that Kenneth was now looking at some other player.

She saw that Kalindra was walking up the stand and sat beside Kenneth. They began to chat. Julie wondered distractedly about what, but then, she heard McGonagall call for the players. She got quickly back on the ground.

"Alright," said McGonagall. "The team will do attacks movements with each of the candidates, so the captain, Miss Walborough will be able to decide which player will be chosen. So we will start with Mr. Michael Finnegan."

As the team took off, Julie leant against the wooden wall of the stand. Suddenly, a shadow covered her face from above. It was Donahue, bending over the barrier of the stands.

"So, are you ready?" he asked.

"Yes," she said. "I hope, at least."

"I hope you'll do well," said Donahue. "That would be great to see you play against Slytherin."

"Are you in the team?" asked Julie.

"No, unfortunately, I'm a disaster on a broom," said Donahue. "But maybe with a teacher like you…"

"Even if I'm not taken in the team?" said Julie, with a twisted smile.

"Well, at least, you know how to fly without falling off your broom," said Donahue. "That's more than I can claim."

Julie chuckled.

"Miss Carteret, it's your turn, please," called McGonagall.

"Good luck," said Donahue.

Julie took her position in the team, and on the Captain's whistle, they all took off.

* * *

"Good luck!" shouted Kalindra from the stands, as Julie took off with the rest of the team.

"She doesn't need luck," said Kenneth, without raising his voice. "She's the best of the three candidates."

"How do you know?" asked Kalindra, surprised.

"I looked at the way they were flying during the warm up. She only makes the moves she needs to make. The others try to impress the public. And she flies quite faster, as well. With a cousin who won the World Cup, you didn't notice that?"

"I was paying more attention to the stands, there," said Kalindra, pointing to Donahue, who was waving at Julie. "If I were you, I would make my move quickly. He's a pretty tough competitor."

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Kenneth.

"Sure, you don't," scoffed Kalindra. "You've been eyeing her since you've met her. I can see those things, Kenneth. Why don't you ask her out? She may be more than willing, but if Donahue gets there first…"

"Well if she likes him, it's her choice, not mine," said Kenneth. "And honestly, if she likes him…" he added with a dark look toward Donahue.

"She likes him because he's gallant, attractive and fares well with the girls," said Kalindra. "You're the only one to thing he's such a git. Even I can't understand why you're loathing him that much. That's pushing it, Kenneth."

"Look at that," said Kenneth, dodging the issue and pointing at Julie.

Kalindra followed his eyes and saw Julie make a superb recuperation, taking a shot and scoring by the same time. It was a beautiful move.

"Wow! She's good, alright!" exclaimed Kalindra.

"See? I've told you…" said Kenneth.

* * *

"Alright, so Miss Walborough has decided to pick up Miss Carteret and Mr. Thornhill as the new chasers of the Gryffindor team," announced Professor McGonagall.

Julie was caught in a hug by Kalindra.

"Well done, girl! You were great!" said the black girl.

"That was a very good demonstration," said Donahue, joining them, grinning.

"Well, thank you," said Julie.

"I guess I'll have to warn my team that the new Gryffindor Chasers are quite impressive," he said. "So, see you soon?"

"Yes, good bye," said Julie, suddenly feeling very childish, looking at him as he walked back to the Castle, and waving dreamily.

Kalindra snapped her fingers in front of her face.

"Have you reached the moon on that broomstick of yours, yet?" she asked, with a mischievous smile.

"What? Oh! Sorry. It's just that he's nice to have come to see my tryout," she said. "I've seen you were chatting with Kenneth in the stands. Are you trying something, there?" she asked, genuinely interested.

"With Kenneth? No way. I've known him for too long for that," said Kalindra. "He's a very good friend, though. Which is why I want to tell you he was here for nobody but you, today."

"He wasn't looking at me all the time, you know," said Julie. "He was interested in the other players."

She was still looking at the Castle.

"Yeah, he was, so he could compare their flying to yours," said Kalindra. "Once he was done with that, he knew you were going to be picked even before the tests began."

That sentence surprised Julie.

"Really?"

"He said and I quote: "she doesn't need luck, she's the best of the three candidates"."

Julie was surprised. She looked for Kenneth in the stand or on the pitch, but there was no trace of him anywhere.

She went to the changing room, telling Kalindra to wait for her at the exit of the stadium. She changed quickly, still rejoicing for her being in the team. She was even singing lightly when she walked through the pitch, her broom over her shoulder.

Suddenly, she felt that something was watching her. Intensely. Some hidden reflex in her made her pull out her wand, and look around her, searching for incantations in her head. The pitch was empty. Nobody around could watch her through the stands. But she still felt the weight of eyes on her. She turned to the Forest. And she felt it, even clearer than before. Something there, watching her, like something hunting for its prey. She felt fear rise inside her.

"Julie?" said the voice of Kalindra.

Suddenly the impression vanished, as quickly as it had appeared. She didn't feel anything anymore. Kalindra joined her, looking concerned.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Something, there in the Forest, watching me," said Julie, her wand still in her hand.

She looked again to the edge of the Forest.

"But it's gone," she finally said.

"There are lot of things in this Forest, you know," said Kalindra. "From Centaurs to Werewolves. It's possible that some of some creature was roaming at the edge of the woods.

"Yeah, I guess your right," said Julie, putting her wand back in her sheath, bound to her belt.

But, as she was walking back to the Castle with Kalindra, she couldn't get rid of some sort of uneasiness. Was something out there to get her? Or was it just stress after the tryouts?

She shook away her doubts. Whatever it had been, it was over now.

* * *

_"Run!"_

_Her mother's command echoed inside her very being. She was running like never before in her life. Her short legs couldn't get her away fast enough. The hooded figure was right at her ankles. Fear was crashing through her like a furious wave. She had never been so afraid in whole existence. Her breath was fast and her heart was pounding._

_She turned left in the street and suddenly, someone was in her way. A wizard. He was bald and he was waving a wand in his hand. He aimed at her chaser._

_"__Stupefy!"_

_The hooded figure flew back, hitting a wall._

_All she could see was her mother running to embrace her, but she heard a distant voice._

_"__You can't escape us forever, child!"_

Julie woke up with a gasp. She looked frantically around her and saw that she was safe in the comfort of her four poster bed, back in Gryffindor tower.

Panting, she realised this had been a really vivid nightmare. No, to be honest, it wasn't a simple nightmare. She had been plagued by such dreams for as long as she could remember. But never had it been so clear. And somehow, the feeling of threat she felt at the memory of the dream felt disturbingly familiar. It felt like the feeling of dread she had gotten at the edge of the woods.

It couldn't be just nerves about either the Quidditch season starting or Robert's flirting.

What was wrong with her?

* * *

_A/N: Alright, that's done! I had a huge rewriting to do on this one._ _I didn't add that much, but the grammar in that first draft was positively dreadful. Not that it's perfect, now, but at least it doesn't look like I'm attacking the English language with an axe any more. To my defence, I wrote that chapter something like six years ago, and my English has improved dramatically, since that time. Hope that you liked that bit, and I assure you things will get both clearer and will pack more action very soon._


	5. Loose Spells and Loose Ends

**Loose spells and loose ends**

* * *

Soon, the Quidditch tryouts were over for all the teams that had needed to hold one. Ian was delighted to learn that both Gina and Joel had made the team, to be respectively Seeker and Chaser. He had witness with undisguised amusement Gina pull Joel into a frantic hug when the results were announced, only to withdraw immediately when she had realised what she was doing. Since then, the both of them were sending strange looks at each other over the Common room, and they were very cautious not to seat beside each other in classrooms, lest they began to blush furiously.

Ian saw this as being fated, in a way. Gina and Joel were eyeing each other since second year. It was obvious that they liked each other.

"Why don't you talk to her?" he asked Joel, one evening, back in the Nest after Defence Class.

Joel threw him an uncertain look.

"No, I don't think so," he said finally, blushing madly.

"Come on, Joel, she likes you, it's obvious," insisted Ian. "What do you have to lose? Invite her to the first Hogsmeade week-end."

"And what if she turns me down?" said Joel, looking positively terrified at the thought.

All that conversation was held on a very hushed tone. Kieran walked down the Peak, where she had finished her homework. She let herself fall in one armchair, beside Ian's. She looked at them suspiciously, as they were straightening each other, trying to look inconspicuous, and failing miserably.

"What?" she asked. "What were you talking about?"

"Well," said Ian. "You know, I'm not sure you can understand…"

"Ian…" she said, on a threatening tone.

"Okay," said Ian, unable to resist longer. "Joel fancies Gina," he whispered.

Joel hit him in the arm. Kieran only smiled.

"Of course he does," said Kieran, on the tone of stating the obvious. "What else is new?"

Ian smiled. Joel made a strangled sound, which made Kieran turn to him casually.

"A problem, Joel?" she asked with a toothy grin. "Aren't you due to a lesson?" she suddenly asked Ian.

"Gosh! I'm late!" said Ian, jumping off his armchair and rushing to the entrance of the Common Room.

He ran through the corridors, crossing path with Filch, who tried to yell after him. But Ian was too quick to hear what he said. He had forgotten the time, while speaking with Joel, and it was time for his lesson with Alexander!

When he reached the third floor of the central wing, Ian made a right turn and stopped right on the door of his Teacher's office. The door opened right before him, without needing him to knock on it.

"You're late," said Alexander from inside.

Ian entered the Office and was surprised to find professor Flitwick sitting on a high stool, facing Alexander's desk.

"And I've chosen the wrong day to be so," said Ian, grinning.

"There's no Problem, Mr. Malcolm," said Flitwick, with his usual joyful tone.

"Alright, Ian," said Alexander. "Today, I wanted Professor Flitwick to witness your progress in Entropic Charms. So we will first begin to review what you have mastered until now."

Ian nodded and began to perform every single spell they had worked on since he was back in Hogwarts. It wasn't as difficult as Alexander have said it to be, two years before. He had told him that Charms were more complicated than Transfiguration. But Ian had the exact opposite feeling. He was performing the spell one after the other, calmly, without any mistake.

Once he was through all the Spells he was mastering (he still had trouble with the banishing spell), he turned to Alexander and Flitwick to see that the short professor was looking at him with round eyes.

"I can barely believe it," he said.

"I've told you so," said Alexander.

"Yes," said Flitwick, still watching in awe. "But I didn't suspect that this was at such a level."

Ian was looking from one to the other with some concern. What was going on? Had he done something wrong?

"Did you train for anything more than what I gave you as Homework this summer, Ian?" asked Alexander.

Ian shook his head.

"No, I thought that would be enough. Of course, I've read the Books of " Blow-it-All" the Sorcerer, but…"

"Have you felt something lately in your powers?" asked Flitwick. "Some strange reaction, or an impression?"

"Well, last summer, there has been a night when I made all the candles in the house levitate, while I was asleep. The kind of stuff I was doing, when I was a kid, but I didn't pay much attention to it."

Flitwick turned to Alexander, who nodded. Ian, of course had told Alexander immediately in one of his letters.

"Ian already told me about it, and I took it into account," said the Entropist. "There is something more, I'm sure."

"But what can it be?" asked Flitwick, more to himself than to anyone in particular.

"What's wrong with me?" asked Ian, clearly under panic, now.

Alexander smiled reassuringly.

"There is nothing wrong with you, Ian," said Alexander. "It's just that your powers seem to have increased rather quickly over the summer."

"Increased?"

"Yes," said Alexander. "You see, I can sense the amount of energy you use when you cast a Chaotic spell. Since we began to work on charms, you have shown a tendency to generate more energy than for the transfiguration spells. And you didn't put more effort in it. So we have two explanations for this."

Ian raised his eyebrows, waiting for what was next.

"Either your powers are increasing with age," said Alexander. "Or you've found your path."

"My path?" asked Ian, not sure of what it meant.

"Your powers may be increasing because you started to use them on Charms," explained Flitwick. "It is possible that your gift is, shall we say, "designed" to be used on Charms, and thus, now you're using it properly, it can give its full measure."

"Is it dangerous?" asked Ian. "I mean, Can I lose control over this?"

"I don't think so," said Alexander, with a casual shake of head. "Still, we must keep an eye on your regular progress in regular Magic. Such power inside you could affect your performances in class."

Ian widened his eyes.

"You have nothing to worry about," said Flitwick. "We will follow you closely, to prevent any problem. So if you encounter any trouble at all, you must warn us immediately."

"I… I understand, Sir," said Ian.

* * *

Beside her, Kenneth was settled in his usual half-sleeping pose. Julie had a little smile. Kenneth was usually very attentive to any kind of lesson, but in History of Magic, he didn't even bother to pretend. He was settling comfortably at the beginning of the hour, ready to doze off almost immediately after the beginning of Binns' speech.

But it seemed that Kenneth's afternoon nap wasn't meant to be, this time, for everyone felt that something odd was going on when Binns glided through the blackboard. He looked… excited! That alone was suspicious.

"Today," said the ghostly Professor. "We will add a new chapter to this class' curriculum."

Everybody seemed to jump at that and many stupefied looks were thrown across the room. That was the first time, as far as they knew it, that Binns would announce something new! And for the first time in the recent History of Hogwarts, an excited chill ran through the class. Binns seemed as enthusiastic as a ghost could seem.

"Recently, new historical proven facts have been brought up to light on the fascinating subject of the Lost City of Atlantis. Work that has been confirmed by Truth Seekers for the Ministry has finally established facts behind Legend, and so I will dedicate the next lessons to the subject. Today, I will remind to those who may not know the details of Atlantean History, a short summary of the greatest events of the History of this City, from its founding to its Fall. After that, we will study the different dynasties of Wizards that ruled the City. And we will go on until Winter break."

Julie was very glad to learn something new, in History. Having studied the school's program, she had been distraught to find that most of the subjects covered in fifth year History of Magic had been viewed in her third year at Beaubâtons. Not only Binns was boring himself, but Julie had already learned everything he was bound to teach them this year.

She had been resigned to share Kenneth's habit of sleeping through History of Magic, but a new subject seemed to have drawn the pony-tailed boy out of his apathy as well. As Julie looked at him, she saw that he looked fascinated.

She had gotten used to sit beside him. She did that in many classes. Kalindra, Mandy and Kenneth were her favoured seating companions. Well, that was if the lesson wasn't shared with Slytherins, in that case Robert would simply come and sit beside her. And to be honest, she liked that… a lot.

She wasn't the kind of girl who kidded herself. Robert was a fine young man and he was attractive. She enjoyed his attention. But it didn't mean that he had to be her only focus. Julie liked Kenneth's company. He was kind and smart. She suspected him to be far smarter than he let on, actually. There was something in the young man that felt… mysterious. He seemed to be holding something back for some reason. But, with Kalindra, he was the first to offer his help and support in class or in the common room.

So she spent many classes beside him. He had a very clever sense of humour and that was a big help to go through some lessons. Especially Arithmancy, which was way more complicated than what she expected. They didn't have that subject, back in France. But Kenneth seemed always confident in her abilities, which was a great help.

There was only one subject Kenneth couldn't help her with, and that was History. But that was because he spent most his lessons sleeping. He claimed he was working on the subject in books, in the library. And now even he looked interested by what the Ghost was about to say.

Binns cleared his throat, which sounded like some strange flute in the air. For once, not even one of his words was lost to the students.

"The origin of the Antlantean City are lost in the depths of time, to a time where the only established civilizations in the world were the Builders and the Elves. Most of it was legendary gibberish, until some recent discoveries about the Seal of Chaos shed a new light on that period. When the Flying Cities of the Builders were destroyed by the Seal of Chaos, only a few servants of the Archimagi remained, as they were either living on the ground or gone for a mission, away from the Cities. They found themselves lost, handfuls of mages among intolerant, primitive, wild Muggles. One of the Archimagi, called Askadis, had foreseen the War somehow and had ordered his servants to take shelter. These servants were led by a wizard called Daresian. He, along with his companions, sought out the other surviving followers of the Builders, and they left Muggle behind to seek refuge near the Elves. They took refuge on the Continent that lay in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, the great Elvish Kingdom of Atlan'te'Heen(*). The Elves, impressed by the power flowing in the veins of the lesser wizards, and by the wisdom of Daresian, welcomed the survivors and gave them a land, a small Island near the shores of their Great Continent. The Wizards named this place Atlantis, and gave themselves the name of Atlanteans, by gratitude to the Elves. The City began to develop on the Island and became soon a great and powerful place. Daresian, the mightiest and wisest wizard of Atlantis, was proclaimed King of the City. During the following Eon, the Atlantean civilisation lived in relative peace, and had friendly links with the Elves. But one day, The Elves decided to go on to the Next World, and disappeared slowly. Only a few remain now in the world, as they live among us, without being seen.  
After the Elves were gone, The Atlantis Wizards have maintained their power during centuries. There have been numerous dynasties. Now, on the scale of History, the most important ones are by far the Anthéni and the Venius dynasties. It is said that the Venius was the last Dynasty of Kings of Atlantis, as it is under the last Venius King that the City sank in the ocean, dragging the whole Continent with her."

Will's hand shot in the air.

"Yes, Mr Turner?" asked Binns, distractedly, oblivious to the fact that Will's name was Tyler.

"How exactly did the City disappear? We heard a lot of legends, but…"

"There are many theories about this," Binns said. "Most are ludicrous accounts of impossible things. Some of these legends even reached the Muggle world. Example of such nonsense is the idea that Atlantis was voluntarily sunk and that its inhabitants have turned themselves into water breathers. Some even claimed that Atlanteans have taken their Island and the Continent into space to found an Empire among the Stars. In fact, no one exactly knows what happened in Atlantis, but recent research has narrowed it down to a more believable frame. This frame is called the War of the Sinking. It was a Civil War. During that war, a power was unleashed, so terrible that it destroyed both the Island and the Main Land as well, sinking the two."

Everyone was stunned by that.

"The points of uncertainty, as of today, lie with the people involved in the War," Binns went on. "Most theories admit that the main conflict was between the House of King Venius and the Antheni Princes, whose line had been kings at some point in History. There were other factions, such as the Netu and the Taliesin Houses, but the main fight was there. Opinions diverge on the fact that Venius was the rightful King or a Tyrant. And also, the question remains unanswered: Who triggered the destruction of Atlantis? Most accounts would lay the blame on King Venius, but this has been a subject of debates for years in the Wizarding History Society. The trouble is that in case of Civil War, the History is often written by the victors, so if we had trace of what was the official truth, we could figure what part of reality it involved. But in the case of Atlantis, the greatest problem of all is that, as the City sank in the Ocean, there hasn't been any victor. It is clear that all of this was an awful tragedy."

Nobody said anything. This was the very first time that Binns was so fascinating in his lessons. Kenneth and Julie exchanged looks. Still Julie was feeling a little uneasy with this story, as if it rang a curious bell in her. She had never studied Atlantis in her French school, though. The recent discoveries hadn't been made public at the time.

This was curious.

As the class ended, everybody began to discuss the subject, while gathering their stuff.

"You know, I'm quite sure that there have been survivors of Atlantis," said Will, at some point, while they were walking to the Great Hall, for the lunch.

"Why do you say that?" asked Julie.

"Well, the Builders have been destroyed millennia before, and still there was a line of survivors. You remember that witch that tried to use the Seal of Chaos? She was carrying the blood of the Builders. I'm pretty sure that the same goes for the Atlanteans."

"There's even a legend that the four founders of this school were descendant of Atlantean Wizards," said Jennifer.

"Yes, and they were dancing naked under the stars, each night of full-moon," said Mandy, clearly sceptical.

Julie chuckled. This was ridiculous indeed.

"Magic has always found a way to appear out of nowhere," said Kalindra, shrugging. "There is no need to find a legendary origin to all things. Soon, the Slytherin would make their blood line go back to Atlantis, and they would become unbearable."

They all laughed at the thought and headed to the doors of the Great Hall.

* * *

What Alexander meant by "trouble", Ian wasn't sure. But he was bound to find out, the next morning. The Ravenclaw and Slytherin third years were in Professor McGonagall's classroom, and they were about to try a new step in transfiguration, which was quite a dangerous step forward.

"You'd be kind to remember that this spell is very delicate," said Professor McGonagall, with her usual stern tone. "So you want to be careful with this. The effect if the spell misses its target could be very dangerous."

"What could happen?" asked Kieran, concerned.

"Well, if the spell misses, the effect can rebound on stone and any inanimate material. Then if a human being is hit by the spell, it can change into something between human and Rabbit, which takes enough time to cure in the Hospital Wing for you to miss a few weeks. I would advise against using it as a way to skip lessons, however, as the recovery is quite painful, and you'd be forced to eat only carrots for the whole treatment."

Ian wasn't sure if the last part of the threat was serious or not, but the whole class threw each other very impressed looks. Except for the Slytherins, of course, who were acting as if they would do anything to see something like that happen. Ian rolled his eyes. Since they had begun to share their Transfiguration lessons with the Slytherins, he could never feel really at ease, especially with Macke passing him notes with just Freak written across it, which was the usual with him.

They began to work on the spell who was aiming at changing a paperweight into a rabbit.

Kieran succeeded within ten minutes, even if her rabbit seemed to be a little slow, as if it was too fat. Professor McGonagall congratulated her, and awarded ten points to Ravenclaw, to Ian's delight. Kieran began to blush. Ian succeeded in changing his own weight into a strange looking stone rabbit, which began to jump on the table, punching holes through it at each leap. He looked up to McGonagall with a wince. But McGonagall had just a slight smile, and with a slight wave of her wand, turned back the rabbit into the stone.

"Well, that's still a progress, Mr Malcolm," she said. "But you'll need to be more accurate with the wave."

Kieran smiled at Ian. She wasn't mocking him, he knew it, but the thought of a stone rabbit digging the ground shot in his mind and he joined her chuckle.

Ian heard a snort, and turned to see Macke looking at him, from behind his motionless paperweight, which had sprouted rabbit ears, making it slightly ridiculous. Then, Macke had a nasty smile, and aimed his wand at Joel, who was about to cast his spell for the third time. Macke whispered an incantation, and a slight flash came hitting Joel in the elbow, before Ian could warn him.

Joel's spell shot in the air, and hit the Ceiling.

"Hit the ground!" shouted Kieran to Joel who rolled on the ground.

The spell rebounded at the exact place where Joel had stood a second before. It began to bounce back wildly, hitting walls and tables. Students were diving to avoid it. Ian threw himself on the ground with Kieran, and lost his wand. Professor McGonagall was trying to stop the spell with her own wand. Ian suddenly saw it rebound to a spot where Kieran couldn't see it coming right at her.

He stood up, and shot his hand in the air before him.

"_Protego_!" he shouted.

His incantation seemed to echo in the whole Castle. A barrier of light appeared around him and extended itself to reach Kieran. The Bubble it seemed to create enveloped the rest of the Classroom. The spell hit it, right in front of Kieran, who let out a little shriek. It dissolved suddenly, with an explosive sound. The barrier seemed to spread even wider. All the windows of the classroom suddenly shattered. Ian lowered his hands, looking at them completely confused.

"Did I do that?" he said.

"Of course you did, you freak," said Macke from the back of the class.

"Mr. Macke! Detention for you! Without your own attack on Mr. Andrews, the trouble would have been avoided," said McGonagall rising from behind her desk, where the shockwave had thrown her.

She walked to Kieran, who was still recoiling in a corner, looking terrified.

"Are you alright, Miss McDougall?" she asked.

"Y… yes, I think," said Kieran, with a very shaky voice.

"Mr Malcolm, Mr Andrews, you will take her to the Hospital wing," said Professor McGonagall. "She'll need some tonic after a shock like this."

Ian and Joel rushed to help Kieran on her feet. She was still shaking.

"Oh, and Mr Malcolm. That will add twenty points to Ravenclaw, for having saved the situation," she added.

"Because you think that saved the situation?" asked a voice at the door.

Professor Snape was standing at the door. He shot a dark look to Ian.

"I should have known where it came from," he sneered. "You can be proud of you, Mr Malcolm, for you shattered all the windows of this floor of the Castle."

Ian looked at him in horror. A whole floor?

"Maybe, Severus," said Professor McGonagall. "Still his nerve has prevented that any student could end up in the Hospital Wing for a whole month. You may go, Mr Malcolm."

Ian nodded humbly and he and Joel walked Kieran to the door. When they passed before Snape, he didn't dare to raise his eyes. No use in provoking him. He was already mean enough. Especially given the fact that it was one of his student that had started the whole mess.

As they were walking to the Hospital Wing, they could see that many faces were appearing at the classrooms doors. At some point, Professor Flitwick ran in the corridor on his little legs.

"Mr Malcolm, what happened?"

"Well…" began Ian, unsure where to start.

"Somebody deflected my transfiguration spell," Joel interrupted him. "It rebounded in the classroom. It was heading for Kieran, and Ian has cast a protecting shield. And it … shattered all the windows."

Flitwick shot Ian a surprised look, and so did all the students that were gathering in the corridor.

"You cast it without a wand?" asked Flitwick.

"Yes," said Ian.

"With such a power? Impressive!" said Flitwick, who seemed pretty excited.

"That's all you find to say?" asked Professor Sinistra from her class door. "All the lenses of my class are ruined."

"Oh, but that's nothing!" said Flitwick, excitedly. "Mr Andrews, can you take care of Miss McDougall alone?"

Joel nodded and resumed his walk to the Hospital wing. Kieran turned to Ian, and mouthed "Thank you", before she disappeared behind the corner. Ian turned back to Flitwick.

"Ian, you will have to repair all this. After a shielding Charm, that should be easy for you. The incantation is '_Reparo omnia_', "explained Flitwick.

Ian made a doubtful face, extended his hands, gathered his will, closed his eyes, and enounced the word.

"_Reparo Omnia_!"

Again it seemed to ring through the hallway. Ian felt the rush of energy run through him. He opened his eyes. To see all the shards of glass leave the floor and fly back to their initial place. Within seconds, he could see all the windows repairing themselves in the entire corridor.

"OUCH! MALCOLM!" he heard someone roar in the Transfiguration classroom.

Snape.

The last piece of glass took its place in the last window with an audible click. Professor Sinistra rushed in her class, looking hopeful. Flitwick winked at Ian.

"They're repaired! And they're even realigned!" they could hear from the inside.

Many students in the corridor, mostly Gryffindors and Ravenclaws cheered. Snape came storming out of the transfiguration classroom, looking furious, his thumb in his mouth.

"What came over you to try something like this!" he began to shout.

"I asked him, Severus," said Flitwick, very enthusiastically.

Ian thanked him mentally for that statement. Snape's rictus of hate turned to a frown, as he turned to the short professor.

"That could have been dangerous," he said. "I was holding one of the pieces of glass, and it flew out of my hand."

"I thought a professor of your knowledge would have learned not to play with pieces of cutting glass, Professor Snape," said the voice of Alexander, echoing in the corridor.

The Entropist walked into the scene, with an ironic smile on his face. Ian winced at the thought that Alexander could make things worse because of the mutual animosity that existed between him and Snape. But Snape only shot the Entropist a withering look, and strode away, students moving quickly out of his way.

Alexander looked around to Students. He smiled.

"Don't you have class right now?" he asked casually.

All the students, who had been watching very intensely the exchange, gave a start and rushed back in their classrooms, that quickly closed again, leaving only Ian, Flitwick, Alexander and McGonagall. Ian looked up to his Mentor.

"You wanted to be warned," he said. "I encountered some trouble."

Alexander chuckled.

"Come to my office, Ian," he said. "I'll handle that, Minerva," he told McGonagall, who nodded, before to go back into her classroom.

Alexander and Flitwick preceded Ian in the stairs leading to his Office. At some point, they passed before the Defence Class. Professor Potter's head shot out of the door frame.

"So, what was that exactly?" he asked with a smile.

Behind him, Ian could see Terry, trying to see from his seat in the first rank. His friend shot him an interrogative look. Ian mouthed a "later" the most discretely he could.

"Nothing serious," said Alexander. "A slight spell incident."

"I heard Snape," said Harry. "He didn't seem pleased."

"Isn't it tragic?" said Alexander casually.

Potter had a short laugh, and his head rushed back in his classroom. The door shut down, and the two teachers resumed their climb of the stairs. Alexander opened the door and gestured for Ian to enter. Ian walked in quickly.

"Sit down, Ian," said Alexander kindly.

Ian obeyed immediately. He was feeling more and more embarrassed. Alexander seemed to notice it.

"You have done no wrong," he said. "Relax."

"It's just that I never lost control like that since I'm school," said Ian. "The last time I shattered things like that, I was seven. I just don't want to go back there."

"I understand," said Alexander. "We'll try to help you. So, now, what exactly happen?"

* * *

By the time he was through his story, Ian felt better. Alexander told him that he had done for the best. Flitwick was nodding vigorously. Ian hadn't mentioned the fact that the spell had been deviated by Macke. That was McGonagall's business… and his own. Macke wouldn't get away with this one. He had tried to hurt someone during this class, and he had almost harmed severely his best friend. He would get a payback, somehow.

"Well," said Alexander. "I'm impressed, too. A shielding Charm? Where did you learn that?"

"Err… in the paper," said Ian. "In the special issue that was telling about Professor Potter's duel with Voldemort."

Alexander chuckled.

"I think for once, Harry would be pleased to know that his press publications had served someone."

Flitwick giggled lightly.

"So, I guess we will have to do some special training. The mastering of your spells isn't in question. You must learn how to put the only necessary amount of energy in the spells you cast. So that next time, you wont even make the windows tremble but still you will have cast the same shielding charm. The trouble is that you put too much might in the spell. So the exceeding power can have complete random effect, as it is pure magic which is released from your being."

Ian nodded in understanding.

"So from now on, we will try some discipline exercises," said Alexander.

Ian was relieved to know that Alexander understood what was going on. The thought of shattering all around him was really troubling and worrying.

"Alright, I'll have to do some preparation, first," said Alexander. "You may return to class."

"Can I go and check on Kieran?" asked Ian.

"Well, since you missed half the lesson, you could as well miss the rest," said Flitwick.

* * *

"Let us through," said the little boy. "We have a lesson."

"Oh, isn't that cute?" laughed Evan Carney, Slytherin third year. "The little twerps don't wanna be late for class."

His cronies, out of second and third year, all snickered behind him.

Kenneth had emerged for the library, after a free period , only to walk in on this despicable scene. Carney was a bully, outshined in this role only by Tim Macke, in his year. And he was seizing every opportunity to pick on smaller preys.

Kenneth decided that it wouldn't work, this time. He walked decidedly toward the group and roughly stepped in between Carney and his intended victims, Hufflepuff first years.

"So," he said. "That's what you do when you're not licking Macke's boots? Taking on little kids? Now, that's impressive."

"Get lost, Lionheart," sighed a girl who stood behind Carney. "None of your business."

"And I don't think they need the help of a coward, anyway," mocked Carney.

Kenneth reacted quickly. He grabbed the front of Carney's robes and pulled him strongly. Carney wasn't either tall or strong, so his feet were soon leaving the ground as Kenneth held him by the collar.

"You want to test that, Carney?" he said, menacingly.

"What's going on, here?" a voice interrupted.

Robert Donahue had suddenly showed up at the end of the corridor. As he walked toward them, Kenneth let go of Carney, who nearly fell on his bottom. With a quick nod, he signalled the first years to get out of the corridor. Donahue, after a moment, nodded the same for his Housemates and Carney reluctantly obeyed.

"We'll meet again, Lionheart," he spat, as a last bit of bravado, in order not to lose face completely.

"Can't wait, Carney," Kenneth retorted, without letting Donahue out of his sight.

The Prefect came to face him. The tension between the two could have been cut through with a knife.

"So, you think you can bully the third years?" he asked. "I can't say I'm surprised, Lionheart."

Kenneth had to laugh. It wasn't even necessary to ponder his reaction. The laugh was dry, however.

"This coming from the guy whose job I was doing, just now," he said. "You're the prefect, Donahue, at least that pretty badge on your chest says so. Your little pals were messing with first years. Your status in the school rests on the fact you're supposed to stop that from happening. But I guess it's too much to hope for a Slytherin Prefect to apply the rules to his Housemates, huh? No, you guys are beyond the usual rules, aren't you?"

"You're going to teach me about duty, now, Lionheart?" mocked Donahue. "I seem to recall that you didn't do your duty to your House, last time we faced each other."

Of course, Kenneth knew what he was referring to. The root of their current hatred.

Back when Kenneth was in third year, while he had spent most of his time at Hogwarts not giving a damn about Kenneth, Donahue had suddenly started to try and score against him in any way he could. Kalindra had told him, back then, that he was a prominent Gryffindor, and that if Donahue was to be respected as a Slytherin, he needed to score against the traditional enemy.

Kenneth had doubted that on two grounds. First, he didn't feel like he was that prominent. If one had to be seen as the leader of his year in Gryffindor, it would be Rob, not him. Secondly, Donahue hadn't, until then, struck him as a guy who would play by the stupid rules of Slytherin.

But he was to be proved wrong on the second account, in fact, since Donahue had used every field he had managed, in order to come up on top against Kenneth. Since neither of them was any good on a broomstick, it had been in classes, and then in simple disputes. Kenneth, despite the constant warnings of his father that he wasn't supposed to use magic in school fights, was the kind of guy who couldn't leave a bully unopposed, and Donahue knew that he would usually rely on his fists to do so.

At some point, Donahue had managed to push Kenneth so far that the young boy had been ready to go for his throat, but still, he had refused to pull his wand for that kind of business, the teachings of his father still clear in his head. Donahue, upon realising that, had humiliated Kenneth in front of the whole Slytherin year, and since Snape had shown up at this very moment, Kenneth had been forced to simply withdraw.

From that moment on, Kenneth had laid low and Donahue had gained his status as Slytherin star, leader of the pack, or whatever. Kenneth had thought that it would be the end of that. Kenneth had lost, it happened, life was going on. It wasn't like Kenneth cared for the opinion of the Slytherins or Snape, for that matter.

But it seemed that Donahue wasn't going to let it rest. Since that moment, two years ago, he had seized many occasions to remind everyone, from Slytherin to Gryffindor to staff, that Kenneth was a coward who had simply walked out after a slight so grave that it should have called for a real wizard to defend his honour. Again, Kenneth intended not to care about that. But one day, Donahue had called him out about that, and he had questioned his family's name, calling them cowards. Kenneth had been about to draw his wand, but again, Snape had showed up, which had ended to confrontation. Since that day, Kenneth had been chomping at the bit, nurturing a very serious hatred toward Donahue.

And now, the jerk was bringing it up again.

"My duty to my House?" said Kenneth. "Is that how you call it? I would have made it a personal duty to waste your face, hadn't your House head shown up at the corner. But you knew he was coming, didn't you?"

"You can turn it any way you want, Lionheart," said Donahue. "But the fact remains: you're not even willing to defend your honour. That's the definition of a coward."

"Yeah, right," sighed Kenneth. "Look, I don't know what you're trying to prove, by going at me, like that, alright? And frankly, I don't care. But I'm starting to lose my patience with that attitude of yours."

"Ooh, is that a threat, Lionheart?" smirked Donahue.

"A simple fact," said Kenneth. "I'm not like your usual court that believes that they need to step on people to get on with their life. And honestly, I didn't believe you were either, until third year. I guess I was wrong. A little word of caution, though. You seem to be getting close to Julie, these days. I don't think she'll be all that impressed by that kind of number."

"You're giving me advice on my love life? That's rich!" said Donahue.

"Forget it, I give up," said Kenneth, rolling his eyes. "Just try not to be such a jerk to Julie."

"Or what?" said Donahue. "You're going to take me down? You're… what, her bodyguard? Or are you falling for her, as well? Well, bad news, Lionheart, I think you're in for a disappointment."

Kenneth was astounded. Did he really have to turn anything into a competition between them? What was the point? But something in Donahue's words had struck at Kenneth. It was true that he liked Julie. A lot… And to think of her dating Donahue wasn't the cheeriest thought ever. Still, he had tried to remain civil.

"You know what? Actually, I don't give a damn," he said. "Go on and be a jerk to your heart's content, Donahue, that's more like you, anyway. Just stay the hell away from me."

On that, Kenneth angrily strode back to Gryffindor Tower. The conversation hadn't helped at all. First, Donahue wasn't anywhere near the notion of leaving Kenneth in peace. Second, he had yet another motive to be competitive, and third, as he had so clearly pointed out, Kenneth loathed the idea of him dating Julie Carteret.

What it meant, in regard to his own feelings for Julie, was too confusing for him to question it, right now.

* * *

When Ian entered the Hospital Wing, it was to find Joel and Kieran sitting on a bed, Kieran sipping slowly a glass of a fuming potion. Madam Pomfrey was pacing all around the room, moving stuff and replacing bottles.

"That will calm you down, Miss McDougall," she said. "Once you feel better, you can… Oh, no, not another accident!" she said, seeing Ian at the door.

"In fact, he's the accident," said Joel, grinning.

"I'm fine," said Ian. "I was just coming to see if Kieran was okay."

Madam Pomfrey looked at him intensely, to see if there wasn't any wound. Then she gave up her examination and she strode back to her office. She was mumbling all the way to the door.

"As if we haven't enough trouble with the Weasleys coming to visit!" she was saying. "One day, they will set this school completely in ruins, I tell you!"

Ian joined Kieran and Joel, wondering what she was meaning.

"How are you?" he asked Kieran.

"Well, I've felt a lot better many times," said Kieran. "That was the scariest thing I ever went through. This spell was going straight at me. I know he was following me. I had to dodge it three times from very close. I'm sure Macke aimed it at me."

"Why you and not me?" asked Ian. "Macke hates me and Joel, but he has nothing against you."

"I wouldn't be sure about that," said Joel. "First, Kieran is our friend, so that makes her a target for his gang. Second he needed someone to throw the spell at. You could have blocked it easily, as you just showed it. And since Kieran never misses one spell, it was easier to make it look like an accident if the spell came from me. So he chose to get the spell from me and thus, he had to throw it at her."

"But that was extremely dangerous," said Kieran. "Macke can't be that irresponsible."

"Oh, Please! Kieran! It's Macke we're talking about!" said Ian.

"Anyway, he didn't get away, as McGonagall saw it was him who started it," said Joel.

"Yeah," said Ian. "You're sure you're okay?" he asked Kieran again.

"Yes," she said, smiling of his concern. "Thank you. Without you I would be lying here for a whole month."

"Well, that's what friends are for," said Ian. "You know… Best friends… Protecting each others?"

"Well, I heard about that once or twice, but I wasn't sure it existed, given the kind of people who happen to be my friends," said Kieran with an ironic smile.

"Well, now you can be a believer, girl," said Joel.

"Did you understand what Madam Pomfrey was meaning when she said that the Weasleys were coming to visit?" asked Ian, now reassured on Kieran's state.

"Well, apparently, Dumbledore have invited old friends. But not the whole Professor Weasley's step family. Just…"

* * *

"They're coming here?" said Harry, his eyes wide in disbelief. "You invited them here?"

"Well, what's wrong about that?" asked Ron.

When he saw the look of desperation on Hermione's face, he suddenly was less secure about this decision.

"It was Dumbledore's idea," he said in defence.

"What was he thinking of?" moaned Hermione.

"Well, he won't have to run after them in the whole Castle," said Harry. "So he must have found that it was a good idea."

"But what is the problem?"

"Ron, Honey," said Hermione. "Your brothers were already the nightmare of Filch in their school years. Now, they're the number one furnishers of ninety percent of the forbidden objects written on his list. And they're my brothers in Law. You expect them to behave nicely when they will be here?"

"Well…"

"Harry and me are Teachers, now;" said Hermione, patiently. "That means we must make sure the are rules followed. That means we will have to keep an eye on them during their whole stay in the Castle. And of course, they'll be too happy to tease us with our new position as teachers."

Ron was now understanding Hermione's dilemma. His face went pale.

"But it was Dumbledore's idea."

"Of course," said Harry. "We're closing on Halloween, so it would be a good idea to pull out some jokes. And to pull out some jokes, who are better than…"

Ron moaned. He was getting to the point.

"Fred and George."

* * *

_(*) pronounced Atlan'Tay'in_


	6. The Silver Quill

_A/N: Whew, I can't believe it took me so long to update this one! I'm so sorry for the ones who have waited on it. but being a Dad takes so much of my time (not that I mind, of course), that I just can't find the time to type anything! Anyway, this one is a short, transition chapter. More will be posted soon._

_Here we go..._

* * *

**The Silver Quill**

* * *

Argus Filch's worst nightmare seemed to become true the next Friday's evening, when he walked by the door, just to see the Weasley twins enter the Entrance Hall, with bags on their shoulders. He went very pale, and began to stutter. He was still trying to convince that it was a dream, blinking madly, when Peeves came floating in the Hall. He saw the twins and bowed friendly before them.

"Hello, Peeves," said Fred.

"Good morning, Mr Filch," said George, grinning widely.

"Not… you! No!" stuttered Filch madly.

"Aww, Argus," said Fred, grinning even broader than his twin. "We thought you would be pleased to see us, honestly."

"Not… Not…"

Filch was beginning to shake when Harry came to welcome the twins with Ron. Harry threw filch an interrogative look. Filch went even paler. He began to point his finger to Harry.

"Y… You!"

"Hello, Fred George," said Harry, feigning to ignore Filch. "The Girls will meet you at the dinner. They're busy with something. Is there a problem, Mr Filch?" he asked innocently, turning to Filch, who was now rather green.

"You… you brought them back here! You!"

Behind him, Ron was hiding his grin. Under Filch's hysterical look, Harry led the twins to their apartments in the same tower as him. Fred was still laughing madly.

"Did you see his face?" he choked. "He was about to faint. For only one or two Jokes."

"He's lucky he didn't know the Marauders," said Harry, with a slight grin.

James Potter and Sirius Black in their youth had been a true nightmare for discipline. Harry smiled at the thought. Funny he would think of the Marauders, as it was them that gave him the idea that would ease the twins stay a lot. If Dumbledore wanted to test the way the new teachers were about to enforce the rules, he would be surprised. Alexander had told Harry that Ian had made some inquiry in his very own manner. Dumbledore had written a letter to the twins. How Ian could have find out this, Harry at first didn't want to know. And then, he had asked the Entropist.

"Simple," had said Alexander. "Ian was sending a letter to his brother when he had seen Dumbledore enter the owlery, with a letter destined to the twins."

So, Dumbledore had settled that visit. And Harry could tell that the bags that the twins were carrying were full of many "wheezes". Harry knew the twins loved that situation, with Hermione and himself forced to enforce the discipline as they were here to disturb it.

But even with all his wisdom, maybe Albus Dumbledore had underestimated the son of James Potter.

"And just wait to see what we brought here," said Fred. "We have a quite complete sample of our stock here to sell. Filch will go bumping his head on the walls."

"Yeah," said Harry. "Too bad you can't sell any of it inside this school."

Fred and George turned to him in only one move.

"What are you talking about, Harry, of course we can," said George.

"No, you can't," said Harry. "It's against the school rules."

"Since when do you care for the rules, Potter?" asked Fred, puzzled.

"Well, since I'm a teacher, here," said Harry. "Don't get me wrong, your stuff is great and they are really funny. But I just can't allow you to sell them."

Fred then threw him a very amused look.

"But, there's something I need to know, Harry," he said casually. "How, exactly, do you intend to prevent us?"

"I'll be here anytime you'll try to sell something," said Harry with a smile. "And if it's not me, it will be Hermione."

Fred and George exchanged a look and burst into laughing.

"First, Harry, the one who will succeed in keeping an eye on us at anytime is yet to be born," he said friendly. "And secondly, there are places in this Castle you don't even know."

Harry's smile grew wider. He pulled out of his robes a piece of Parchment.

"Remember this?" said Harry.

Fred and George looked at the folded parchment.

"No, it can't be…" began Fred.

"You wouldn't dare to use this against us…" said George, scandalized. "We gave this thing to you!"

"Since it was my legacy from the very beginning, it was not a big feat," said Harry. "It's my Dad who wrote this Map. So I can do whatever I want to do with it. Oh, by the way, Hermione and I enhanced it with some new features. The Map will tell us where you are, that's a first thing. They will also tell us if you have any intention of selling something. And each time you will try to, the Map will warn me or Hermione through one of her very useful coins, so we will know where you are."

"Blaspheme," said Fred sadly. "Using the Marauder Map to enforce the school rules."

"But I don't use it to enforce the school rules. It's a special case. I use it only to get you. High deed for a marauder to catch the famous Weasley twins at their own game."

Harry's smile was now very toothy, and bright. Fred and George exchanged very dark look. Then they began to chuckle. They were nodding appreciatively.

"Well, Potter, you got us good on this one. Professor Dumbledore thought you would have some difficulties to stop us. I'm really impressed."

He bowed exaggeratingly before him and so did George.

"I'll see you at the dinner, I guess," said Harry. "Dumbledore wanted you to pay a visit. Think he wants to buy some things to you."

He left the room, followed by Ron.

"Hey, Ronnie," said Fred. "That wife of yours has really perverted this one, bro."

Ron chuckled. As the door closed on the twins' sulky faces, Harry and him began to laugh madly.

"If someone had told me I would see the day when the twins would find their masters…" choked Ron between two laughs.

"Well," said Harry, wiping his eyes. "I'm not sure they won't try it anyway, so I will have to stay on guard."

"Anyway, that was a good shot, mate," said Ron. "You'd make my Mum proud of you."

"_Traitor_!" was heard through the twins' door.

Harry and Ron burst again into laughing, as they were climbing down the stairs to get to Ron's apartment, to tell Hermione of the results of the first contact with the twins.

* * *

The School was preparing for Hallowe'en. For the wizards, Hallowe'en bore far more significance than for the muggles, and so the Hallowe'en celebration was something no Wizarding family would ever miss. The school year didn't allow the children to return to their families, though, and so the Hallowe'en feast was a very important milestone, in the term.

This was the reason why the first week end after Hallowe'en was the occasion of the first Quidditch match of the season, Gryffindor Versus Slytherin, and also of the first outing in Hogsmeade on the next day. There was a feast on Hallowe'en night and then the fun began. This year, they had hit a lucky spot, since Hallowe'en was a Sunday, so the feast would come to conclude the week end, the Hogsmeade trip taking place on Saturday and the game on Sunday.

As the school was preparing for the usual celebration, there was something new, this year. Ian could feel it in the air. There was a new sense of anticipation in the school and he knew what it was. The Silver Quill.

The challenge that Dumbledore had opened to all the Houses had been a slow thing to begin, but now it had gained enough momentum to rival the first Hogsmeade week-end, even if it wasn't going to eclipse the Gryffindor - Slytherin game anytime soon.

Ian had been asked to take bet on the people who would dare to try and face the challenge, for the first time since he had entered Hogwarts. Ravenclaws usually didn't bet on the Silver Quill. But now the Quill was a business that regarded the entire school and that changed the deal considerably.

Ian was a little too busy to focus on the preparations concerning the challenge. He was doing extra hours with Alexander to begin that training that aimed at controlling his sudden growth in power. It wasn't very complex, but it was tiring. Ian was also very concerned about the whole issue.

Ian had never boasted about his gifts. Most people believed that was because he was modest. It was only partly true. His mother had raised him, teaching him not to brag about anything. But, more importantly, he knew what it felt like to lose control of his magic. When he had been a child, until the age of seven, he had experienced several incidents when the magic had suddenly started to burst out of him without any prompt. It usually happened to young wizards, but it was rarely serious. With Ian's chaotic magic, it was far more dangerous. And he had been afraid of his power for a long time. So he was giving the extra training a lot of attention. If Alexander wasn't overly concerned, Ian still refused to go back there, to the time where a sneeze could make the walls shake.

So, he was missing a few things that were happening out there in the school. His usual contacts noticed that he was preoccupied, so they didn't bother him with gossip. Ian was grateful, but knew that he needed to keep in touch with the school, if only to take his mind off this whole control issue.

But he had still spotted a few things on his own, in the weeks that preceded Hallowe'en. First, there had been a lot of conferring among students in Ravenclaw about the Silver Quill. Everyone knew that Naveen Jones, who had won the Quill last year, would enter the contest again, with two new team-mates, since her previous allies had been in seventh year and had since then graduated. But there was a high level of speculation about who would challenger her second claim on the Quill.

And Ian also had a feeling that Alwena Silverleaf was up to something. The Gryffindor girl was sneakier than usual, these days. Ian was only marginally curious about what she was up to, but it seemed that she had a plan for a good one. In fact, the grin she sometimes had on her face, mirrored the ones Ian had seen on the Weasley twins, since their arrival, as they were planning some mischief, despite being under Professor Potter's eye.

* * *

In spite of their apparent admission of defeat, Fred and George tried to avoid Harry, indeed. But when, for the third time, Harry appeared at the corner of the next corridor, each time they were heading to the Common rooms, they decided to try and hide themselves under special spells. This time, they encountered Hermione at least four times. It was something they had never met before, teachers that were everywhere at the same time. They even tried to split, but Fred crossed Harry, just as George was walking straight into Hermione. The desperate moan they let out was exactly the same, even at the distance of three corridors and two floors.

After that, they had surrendered to their obvious defeat. When Harry crossed path with Dumbledore, in the late afternoon, the Headmaster gave him an appreciative nod, and then winked at Harry.

Later in the evening, as they were having a dinner in the Hogwarts' Great Hall, Fred and George brought up the subject of the personal news of their friends.

"Well, since Lee's married, he's less active in the shop, but still he's investing regularly. So, I've got word from him often."

"How's Katie? I haven't seen her for two months," said Harry.

"No wonder," said Fred. "She's overwhelmed with her job. But she's not complaining with that. She's happier than she ever was in the Staff of the Wimbourne Wasps. Now that she's a titular coach, she had gained quite a reputation. She finally got herself a name in the profession. Dean sends his bests, also. He dropped by the shop yesterday, while passing on Diagon Alley with his new girlfriend."

"Are Seamus and Lavender back from their Honeymoon yet?" Hermione asked Ginny.

Ginny shook her head.

"No," she said. "I've got a letter from Lavender two days ago. They're still there for two weeks."

"Hawaii," sighed Ron. "Sounds appealing."

Hermione threw him a dark look.

"You didn't like Greece?" she said, mentioning their Honeymoon destination.

"I loved Greece," said Ron, casually, without noticing his wife's glare. "But with weather like this, I wouldn't mind getting to Hawaii."

He nodded to the Ceiling, where a pretty decent thunderstorm was raging all over them.

Hermione looked up, and with a sigh, she admitted he was right.

"Did you follow the League?" Fred asked Harry, at some point.

Harry nodded, smiling. His principal point of interest, the fate of the London Falcons, had led him to keep in touch with the whole of his former team. He was pleased to know that they were doing well, even in his absence. It was mainly due to his successor, young seeker Caroline Swanheart. The young girl, recruited just out of Hogwarts, had taken the world of Quidditch by storm, right from the start. She had begun what seemed to be a personal quest: breaking every single record a seeker can hold. She had already managed to beat one of Harry's own records, the shortest game in the history of the English league, with a snitch caught under two minutes. She was an inch from beating the record of absolute speed on a broom.

Harry couldn't help feeling certain pride at this, since he had been the one to scout Caroline for the Falcons, making her hiring by Kate Trueheart possible.

"I guess you're rooting for London, aren't you?" said George, as they mentioned the issue.

"Hard no to," said Harry. "They've smashed their season's beginning. I think they are on the way for a new title, this year."

"London will have a toughest run, this time around," said Fred. "Puddlemere and Wimbourne have both sworn to bring them down, since you're gone."

"They can try," chuckled Harry. "I have complete confidence in Alicia and Caroline. But I'll admit I followed the ranks less than this odious coverage about Angelina."

"That mess," said Fred, disgustedly. "I'm still considering going to Weathercap's office and blast his head off."

"I hear you, Fred," said Ginny. "Most of my colleagues are outraged by the way Witch Weekly handled this."

Last June, right after Harry had been officially hired in Hogwarts' staff, it had been revealed by the press that Angelina Johnson was going through a painful break up with her long time boyfriend, Bob Walkowitch. The two of them had been a strong, iconic couple in the league, often featured in Quidditch news. They also had set an example for most of their friends. But bob had been offered a contract in the United States, where Quidditch was becoming so huge that he couldn't pass the opportunity. This had led to a serious discussion with Angelina, and it had become apparent that their couple wouldn't survive a long distance relationship, and that Angelina just wasn't ready to leave England. They had split amicably, and it had been hard on the both of them. And then the people's pages had turned it into a melodrama circus, which grew to such a mess that Angelina, fed up at being hounded by the press, simply had chosen to drop off the radar, for a while. The end of her public appearing, with the season being over, gave the press the occasion to add to the pile, and her fans were really starting to worry, especially after Witch Weekly printed that they fear she might want to hurt herself, which had sent the fans, the league officials and the bookmakers into frenzy. Bob had then made a public statement, to clear the situation, and after yet another threat of a lawsuit, Weathercap backed off. The whole disaster had finally blown over by September, but Harry was still seething.

"Have you heard from Angelina?" he asked Fred and George.

"Yep," said Fred. «Her vacation in Tahiti did her a world of good. She's been hanging out at the shop a few times, lately. I guess she needs all the laughs she can get, these days."

"I think the press should leave her alone, now that they have found a new prey," said George, grimly.

"What do you mean?" asked Harry.

"Haven't you read the People news, recently?" said George in disbelief.

"Why? Something that concerns this?" asked Hermione.

"Cho Chang has divorced!" said Fred.

"What?" said Harry, his eyes widened in surprise.

"Yeah, last week or something," confirmed George. "Apparently, there has been some cheating in the air."

"Cho is not the cheating kind of girl," said Harry.

"No, but Jimmy Stringless seems to be," said Fred. "Apparently, Cho's lawyers had him pay the big one."

"Poor Cho," said Ginny. "She must be distraught."

"Hope she'll get over this," said Ron.

Harry felt a sense of worry that felt somehow strange.

"Yes, I hope," he said.

* * *

The dinner was in full swing, reaching the dessert, and Ian was getting quite sleepy. He had been through a long day, with yet another lesson with Alexander about control, which had been very taking even if it had only consisted of breathing in and out while gathering energy. The dinner was copious enough to overcome the last of his strength.

So, as he struggled to keep his eyes open, he wasn't focused on the teacher's table and so, when Joel nudged him in the ribs, Ian protested pretty loudly.

"What?"

"Pay a little attention," said Joel, pointing at a large blackboard that had been brought out in the Hall.

Ian knew that blackboard. It was the one used by Professor Flitwick to write down the names of the teams that would be involved in the Silver Quill Challenge. His sleepiness faded away at once, as he realised the moment where the teams would be revealed had to be near. He looked around and was amused to see the excitement spread in the whole dining room.

No mistake, Dumbledore stood up and called for both silence and attention. The chatter died down.

"Tomorrow, the Challenge of the Silver Quill will be revealed to those who chose to try and solve it," said the Headmaster. "I will now call on the teams that entered the contest."

There was enthusiastic applause from the Ravenclaw table and even a good amount of cheering on other tables, even if it remained polite for most houses. Ian wondered if Dumbledore's idea had worked and if other Houses would get involved. That would be interesting and certainly shift the odds of the betting pool.

Professor Flitwick waved his wand and an urn floated into view, settling near the blackboard. Dumbledore began to reach inside the urn and pulled a few sheets of paper.

"Let's see," he began. "From Ravenclaw House, I call Eamon Clarke, Linda Whippletop and Andrea Stubbs."

Clarke, the fifth year prefect, got up with two of his classmates, and walked to the blackboard, while their names magically appeared on it. Dumbledore called out two more teams from Ravenclaw, out of fifth and sixth year. Ian joined the applause gladly. So far, nothing surprising.

"Aha, the current title holder," said Dumbledore, brightly. "Miss Naveen Jones, who picked Ms Erica Twowands and Alberic Greer to replace her previous team-mates. Good luck to you."

Naveen, whose team had won the year before, got some cheers as she crossed the Hall. She wore the quill as a remainder of her victory.

"Ah, I see we accomplished my goal," said Dumbledore, reaching the next sheet. "From Slytherin House, I call Robert Donahue, Janet Spencer and Warren Wattham."

Slytherin cheered at that, and the other tables joined in the applause, as well. Ian was surprised to see Donahue take part in this, but seeing Janet involved in that was almost predictable. Another team out of Slytherin was called, out of seventh year. It was composed of Smitts, Curran and Walbrough, three jerks who walked to the board as if they had won already. Another team of Ravenclaw followed, with Newitt, Purcell and Whitaker.

"From Hufflepuff, I call Nancy Clearwater, Hugh Berinson and Ariminta Nesbitt."

The three students fro Hufflepuff got up under thunderous applause from their housemates and made their way to the teacher's table. They looked like they were thoroughly enjoying themselves.

Then, Dumbledore had the cunning smile he always wore when he was up to something. Ian would forever remain convinced that the Headmaster had withheld the last piece of paper on purpose, like keeping the best for last.

"And now for the most surprising team of this year," he said, "I call Miss Gillian Crawley, from Ravenclaw fifth year, Miss Alwena Silverleaf, Gryffindor fourth year, and Miss Kieran McDougall, Ravenclaw third year."

Ian turned both a gaping mouth and wide eyes to his right, to see Kieran stand up with a little smile, before to join Gillian and walk to the black board. They waited for Alwena to join them. The way they behaved, you could have sworn nothing was amiss, but the entire hall was staring in mute shock at them.

Ian was astonished. He had felt that Alwena was up to something, regarding the Silver Quill. He didn't know what the biggest surprise was: that a team came of two different houses, that it included a third year, who happened to be his best friend, or simply the fact that Kieran had managed to slip that surprise under his nose. That was incredible!

Dumbledore looked quite undaunted by the events and serenely smiled at everyone.

"Congratulations to all those who had the courage to rise up to the Challenge. The nature of the test will be revealed in one week, during the Hallowe'en feast, after the Quidditch Game. A good evening to all of you!"

Kieran and the others contestants were all dragged into the next room, so they could be briefed on the rules of the Challenge. Ian and his gang chose to wait for their friends to return before to go up to bed.

* * *

"I can't believe it!" exclaimed Ian, as he entered the Ravenclaw Common Room. "You manage to sneak that one right under my nose! How in blazes did you do that?"

"Trade secret," said Kieran, with a toothy grin. "I won't giving away all of my techniques, right now, or else I wouldn't be able to ever score against you again."

"That was bold," said Edwin. "I mean, you're in third year, Kieran. You think you have a chance at the Silver Quill challenge?"

"I can always try," said Kieran. "And it's not like I'm alone at it. Gillian is very bright and Alwena is very clever. I think we can be a good team."

"You bet you can be," said Gina, enthusiastically. "I'm pretty sure you're going to win."

"Oh, I wouldn't go that far," said Kieran, modestly. "But, if we do well, this year, we can try again next year with the same team and so, we could..."

"Forget next year," said Ian. "I'm putting my bet on you for this year!"

"Ian!" protested Kieran. "You can't be serious. It's just a bit of fun! I don't intend to..."

"You never intend to do anything brilliant, Kieran," said Ian. "But I don't care! You're so going to win this one!"

Kieran answered with a cute blush on her cheeks. Ian was oblivious of that. His mind was set on the idea that his best friend could very well be the youngest student to ever win the Silver Quill. This was very exciting.

"I can say something for you, Kieran," said Eamon Clarke, coming to join them. "You do have a sense of theatrics. That was quite a shocker you pulled, there."

Kieran smiled.

"It was Alwena's idea," she said. "She says she likes the attention."

* * *

The Gryffindor Common Room was celebrating their new champion in the race for house points. Alwena Silverleaf was their new star, and she clearly liked this. Julie smiled at this. Julie had gotten to know Alwena over the first weeks of her stay at Hogwarts. She had been surprised to learn that fellow French was in the school, but Alwena wasn't a transfer student. In fact, she had started her first year in the school, after her older cousin had done his studies here. She had clearly told her parents she wouldn't consider going anywhere else than Hogwarts. She and Julie had gotten friends quite quickly and Julie was glad she enjoyed a little spotlight, now. She was impressed that the fourth year was taking on a challenge like the Silver Quill.

Of course, the Common Room wasn't only focusing on Alwena. They were also cheering for the Quidditch team, and a lot of attention was directed at the two new chasers, Will Thornhill and Julie herself. Julie got dragged in a few enthusiastic conversations before she managed to let herself fall into a couch, finding herself facing a grinning Kalindra.

"Now, you realise how exhausting it can be to be in Gryffindor, don't you?" joked the tall girl.

"Oh, yes," said Julie, with an exaggerated sigh. "Is it always like that before duels?"

"Oh, yeah," said Kalindra. "So let's be honest, here," she added, suddenly serious.

"About what?" Julie asked, surprised by her tone.

"About Robert Donahue," grinned Kalindra. "Fancy him much?"

"Oh, please!" said Julie, with an annoyed huff. "I barely know the guy!"

"Since when has it stopped him from making your pulse race?" said Kalindra, with a shrug. "I see the way you act around him."

"To be honest, I feel a little confused about that," admitted Julie.

"Is that so?" said Kalindra. "Do tell."

Julie had a sigh.

"Okay, he's charming and he's handsome, alright," she said, "but... I don't know. I don't usually fall for a guy that way. I'm serious when I say I barely know him. Whenever he's around, though, I stop thinking and..."

She wasn't sure how to define her state of mind.

"Drool?" offered Kalindra.

"Not helping," she countered, with a smile.

"Well, if that makes you feel any better," said Kalindra, "you're hardly the first one to feel that way around Robert Donahue. He has that effect on girls."

"Thanks, I feel so much better," said Julie with a sarcastic edge in her tone, as well as in her smile.

"I can tell you one thing, though," Kalindra went on, undaunted. "Robert Donahue doesn't need to go to great lengths to get a girl. And yet he's been awfully nice to you, and he can barely take his eyes off you. He's making a big effort to get to know you better. I guess that he's very serious about it."

"You think so?" said Julie, annoyed that she couldn't hide the hopeful note in her voice a little better.

"I know so," said Kalindra with a grin. "Anyway, how does the Hogsmeade trip look for you?"

"Well, Robert has asked me to go with him," said Julie, with a grin.

"Aha! I knew it!" laughed Kalindra. "Okay, so now, we're going to have to work on that, aren't we?"

"Work on that?" repeated Julie.

"Well, if you're so into Robert, we have to make sure the Hogsmeade outing is memorable," said Kalindra. "What say you, Carteret? With my help, the poor lad will be eating from the palm of your hand."

Julie rolled her eyes, even if she admitted that the idea was pleasant.

"And we have to do something about your Quidditch robes," said Kalindra.

"What about them?" asked Julie, puzzled. "They're brand new!"

"They don't fit you enough," said Kalindra, with an excited grin. "We need to dress you in something that better sticks to your... curves."

Julie blushed.

"I don't think this is necessary," said Julie.

"Oh, I think it is really necessary," said Kalindra. "We do want Robert and the others to drool, don't we?"

Julie had to laugh at that.

* * *

_Somewhere deep in the Wales_

The acolyte ran through the corridors of the fortress, holding the piece of paper. The High Priestess needed to see this. He knew interrupting the Lady Lilia was punishable by death, but to fail to report vital information was too, and in a more painful way.

He came to a sliding halt before the doors leading to her apartments. Taking a deep breath, he knocked three times.

"Come in," said a cold voice in return.

When he pushed the metal panel open, he saw, to his utter relief that Lady Lilia wasn't at her dinner table. In fact, she was just standing at the window. He walked quickly to kneel behind her, waiting for her to react to his presence.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I found something in the reports of one of our spies, Mistress," said the Acolyte, his eyes riveted at the floor tiles. "I think it is of the utmost importance."

"I hope it is, for your sake, Acolyte," said Lady Lilia, slowly turning to look down upon him. "On your feet."

He stood up, and when his eyes finally settled on her, he had to fight the flow of emotion he always felt when he was gazing upon his commander. Lilia was a breathtakingly beautiful woman, but one had better not call her that to her face. She was just as deadly as she was beautiful.

The Acolyte held out the parchment, with a photograph visible on it. She took it, and looked at the page.

"What extraordinary news am I supposed to read in these pages?" asked Lilia, coldly.

"I believe the Heir is in Hogwarts," said the Acolyte, summoning his courage.

"What?" said Lilia, suddenly, frantic. "How would you know?"

"Look at the picture, my Lady," said the Acolyte. "Very closely."

Lilia took a long look at the picture. Her eyes narrowed dangerously. The Acolyte knew that if she didn't see, his life would be forfeit... And then, she suddenly started to chuckle. It was a laugh that held no joy. It was chilling. But it may show that she was pleased.

"I see," she said. "The Heir... After we had lost the trail. We were this close. And now, the Heir is practically on our doorstep. Excellent. That is a good call, Acolyte. What would your plan be?"

The Acolyte fought any urge to brag. It wouldn't do any good.

"I'm not worthy to presume anything, Mistress Lilia, but I do think we need to look for a way into the Castle to get to her. It will not be easy," he said. "Hogwarts is well protected."

"I laugh at their protection," scoffed Lilia. "These so called heroes, these living legends won't stand a chance against us. But you are right. We need to think ahead."

The Acolyte did his best to release his breath as silently as possible.

"Your name, Acolyte?" she asked.

"Einon, My Lady," said the man.

"Einon, you will come with me to Waltz," she said. "We must make plans."

"As you command, Mistress Lilia," said Einon, with a bow.

He would live... as long as he didn't fail. And for that, it meant that Hogwarts would fail at protecting the Heir.


	7. Games of Wizards

_A/N: Well, it didn't take me as long to update, this time. This Chapter was easier to rework. It's Quidditch Time! Well... among other things. Thanks to all the people who are following the story, it's really appreciated. DO NOT HESITATE to review, :)._

* * *

**Games of Wizards**

* * *

The next week was lost in frenzy, as it got the school closer to Hallowe'en. It meant a few things. It meant the first excursion to Hogsmeade of the year. It meant the first Quidditch Game of the Cup: Slytherin Vs Gryffindor. This year, it would also mean the nature of the Silver Quill challenge would be revealed. No need to say that any student who wasn't in Ravenclaw only paid the minimal attention to the lessons.

Kenneth had been impressed by the nerves showed by Alwena by entering the Silver Quill challenge.

But he was more interested in Julie's first game as Gryffindor newest Chaser. That was going to be interesting. He wondered why he got so excited about the whole thing. He was a Gryffindor supporter, of course, but Quidditch wasn't such a passion for him. But he was eager to see the game, this year. And Mandy had seen that, seizing the chance for a little teasing.

"Oh, Kenneth, was it all it took?" she had said, as they were discussing the upcoming game. "They recruit a pair of cute eyes and you become a die hard fan of the team?"

"What? I... no, I mean... The team is good, this year, we really stand a chance..." he had mumbled.

"Save it, Kenneth," she had laughed. "Julie has very cute eyes."

Kenneth rolled his eyes, even now, as he thought about it in retrospect. Mandy was one of the rare people who could tease him without risking his wrath. She was way too much like him for him to take offence. The other was Kalindra. Kenneth was pleased to see her become such good friends with Julie. And not so pleased of all the effort she openly made to help Julie get together with Donahue.

That git with Julie? Merlin forbid such a mistake.

Kenneth was distracted in his thoughts by the sight of a young lady walking in the Entrance Hall at the moment he was crossing it. She seemed familiar. She looked around her. And finally, she turned to him. She was absolutely beautiful, with silky black hair and an Asian face.

"Excuse me," she asked. "Could you tell me where to find Harry Potter's Office, please?"

"Well, it's just after the Defence against the Dark Arts Classroom. The second floor on your…"

"I remember where the classroom is, thank you," said the lady, smiling. "Thanks for your help."

"Anytime," was the only thing he could say, as he was still fascinated by her beauty.

She headed for the stairs. Suddenly, Kenneth knew who she was. She was this famous Quidditch Seeker, of the Puddlemere United Club.

* * *

"Cho?" said Harry, surprised, when he faced Cho Chang standing at his door.

Cho had a weak smile.

"Hello, Harry," she said. "I was in Hogsmeade. I thought I could drop by."

"Sure you can," said Harry. "Come in."

The Chinese woman entered the office and looked around.

"Nice place," she said.

"Thanks," said Harry. "But most of the decoration is from the former occupant. Tea?"

Cho nodded. While Harry was preparing tea by three waves of his wand, they talked about the job, Puddlemere's second place in the league, and her chances to beat Caroline Swanheart. Harry refused to give her tips, and Cho said she should have expected it. After some time, Harry pondered to ask her…

"I heard about Jimmy," he said. "I'm really sorry. But I don't know what happened..."

"Well, apparently I wasn't enough for him," said Cho, her face going suddenly grim. "He started to go out with some platinum blonde witch on a tour of his band. When he came back in London, he settled her in a flat near my house."

"He didn't!" said Harry.

Cho nodded, sinking deeper in the armchair facing Harry's desk. Harry brought her a cup of tea and sat on the edge of his desk. Cho was looking very sad, now.

"You see, I didn't suspect anything, because I was very busy for my practices. And one day, I just ran into them, at the exit of her apartment. He didn't even try to explain, or to make up something… I just threw him out of my house…"

"Well, I guess you did right," said Harry. "How do you feel, now?"

"Well, let's say… Betrayed, furious, disgusted, desperate and ugly," said Cho.

"Ugly?" said Harry, astonished.

"Well, if he felt the need to see someone else, that means I wasn't …"

"Stop this right now," cut Harry. "The guy is a scumbag, okay? You don't have to feel bad about this. You're one of the most beautiful women I know in England. You're nice, you're funny. Don't ever let someone tell you that you're not worth it, okay? You'll find someone good for you in no time. Mark my words."

Cho looked at him, surprised. Then she smiled weakly.

"Thanks."

Harry dismissed her thanks by a shrug.

"I just don't understand this idiot singer," he said.

"How's Ginny?" asked Cho.

"Good," said Harry. "She's settling in nicely in the team of the Herald."

"And you two?"

"Well, it's great to be together in this place. But these days I've been awfully busy, and I only saw her at night. I think she'd like us to go out a little more often. I'll have to arrange that."

"You should," said Cho. "Do you know how lucky you are? To have found her, I mean..."

"Of course, I know it," said Harry. "You'll find the right person for you, too. I always have thought that you married Jimmy a little quickly."

"Yes, seems like you were right," said Cho.

She seemed a little more cheerful, now. She stood up, lying the tea cup on his desk.

"Well, I'd better go, now. You'll have a lesson soon," she said.

"Yeah," said Harry. "Will you be alright?"

"Yes," said Cho. "Eventually. Thanks for listening."

"Hey, friends are here for this," said Harry.

Cho kissed him on the cheek and smiled.

"It seems so," she said. "Say Hi to Ginny from me."

Harry walked her to the door. Once she was gone, he thought back to what she said. Was it luck if he was happy with Ginny? Did all the relationships go wrong like Cho's? When he looked around him, he could think of many friends whose relationships were going quite well. Hermione and Ron, Lavender and Seamus, Neville and Luna... Yet again, they had all something in common. They had been friends at school. They knew each other very well. That's why it worked so well. Maybe it was some luck, after all, to fall in love with old friends.

A funny thought shot through his mind. Who could do with Cho among their old common friends? Well, most of them were married now, even the shy Neville, who was now the father of a little girl. Fred and George were now both singles, since George had amicably split up with Padma Patil, after a year of dating. And he was actively seeking a girl. But George? With Cho Chang? Highly unlikely. Wood? Oliver and Cho were playing in the same club for years now. If something had been bound to happen, that would already have.

Harry chased Cho's love life from his mind to open the door of his classroom. The next lesson was with Slytherin second years. And they were very stressful. Always looking at him with something that looked a lot like Snape's own look.

He sighed, before to enter the classroom. He didn't like to be stared at by little Slytherins.

* * *

Darn it, he was doing it again. Kenneth shook himself in annoyance. He was staring. That wasn't good. It just wouldn't do. And yet, each time Julie showed up in a room in which he was sitting, his eyes drifted off to her. Why did he keep doing that?

Well, there was an obvious answer to that, and it was probably correct, since it had been pointed out to him by Kalindra, by Mandy and even by Donahue, when he had implied that they were in a competition.

So, yes, when faced with the truth, Kenneth was probably falling for Julie Carteret.

But to know it didn't help one bit. It didn't help him to control himself a little better. It did nothing to stop his eyes from riveting to Julie, each time she appeared. And if he didn't get that under control, then...

"Holy mother of Merlin!" Kalindra suddenly whispered, in the armchair, right next to him.

Kenneth closed his eyes in despair. He was busted. Kalindra had magical eyes to spot this kind of behaviour, especially in him.

His friend seemed excited beyond reason. She kept pointing at him.

"You have a crush!" she said, at some point, nearly out loud.

"Damn it, Kallie, will you keep it down!" he hissed in hushed anger.

"But you do!" she went on, more discretely, this time. "I thought you were just playing nice to the new comer, so she would feel at ease, but you have a crush on Julie!"

"Could you stop saying it like it is some monstrous crime?" said Kenneth, with a half smile.

"Well, it's not a crime, but it's surely a shocker," said Kalindra. "I thought you were going to die a bachelor."

"Wow," chuckled Kenneth. "Judgmental, much, Kalindra? I'm only 15, it's not like my life's going to be over after Hogwarts, is it?"

"Yeah," said the brown skinned girl, with a grin. "I know that, but you seemed not to care about girls with such a dedication that I was almost giving up on you."

"You're so kind to me," mocked Kenneth.

"I love you too, mate," she replied, with a little affectionate wave of her hand.

"Anyway, it's not a big deal," said Kenneth. "It's not like anything is ever going to happen."

"I would disagree with that on so many levels that I won't even start counting them," said Kalindra. "But, more to the point, you're going for the blonde French transfer student? I though you avoided clichés."

She was only teasing, Kenneth knew it, but somehow it helped him to talk about it.

"You know for a fact that she's not a cliché, or you wouldn't hang out with her all the time," he said. "She's fun and she's smart..."

"And she's hot, which doesn't hurt," offered Kalindra. "So... love, huh?"

"I'm not so sure about it," said Kenneth, very seriously.

"Why?"

"Because, first, I don't think she's even interested," Kenneth said. "Love takes two people, or else, it's just Donahue and his mirror."

Kalindra stifled a laugh. Kenneth went on.

"Speaking of whom... second, she's with..."

"If the next words out of your mouth are going to be _'Robert Donahue'_, I can tell you the deal is far from being sealed, on that account," interrupted Kalindra.

"I was about to use three words and say _'that bastard Donahue'_, but whatever," said Kenneth. "It still mixes up the signals, somewhat."

"How so?" asked Kalindra, without a single joke, this time. "Don't tell me you would object on hunting on Donahue's turf."

"It's more the fact that she's interested in him, when he's such a jerk," said Kenneth.

"Ouch," winced Kalindra. "Harsh, Kenneth, harsh."

"Is it?" he retorted, bitterly.

"I think you're still overreacting to the whole thing, honestly, Kenneth," said Kallie. "So what if he scored against you in third year? You keep on telling us how House rivalries are futile. So he's scored. It doesn't mean he's..."

"It means he plays a game," said Kenneth. "His status in the school is based on the fact he's leading the Slytherin fifth year and he does so because he's humiliated me in third year. So he never misses a chance of reminding everyone of that."

"Aren't you a little paranoid, here?" she tried to object.

"No, I'm not," said Kenneth. "He's the reason half the school calls me a coward."

"But you said you didn't care," said Kalindra.

"I don't," said Kenneth. "Let the dimwits talk. But you won't make me like the guy. Period."

"It's not about Donahue," said Kalindra. "It's about Julie."

"Maybe," said Kenneth, "but again, if she likes Donahue..."

"And yet, you can't keep your eyes off her," said Kalindra, with a smile, sadistically pointing at the obvious flaw in his reasoning.

And Kenneth had to admit she had a point. But she wasn't about to get him to admit that.

"I never said it made sense," he said defensively, as she was staring at him.

"And a good thing you didn't, too," said Kalindra, chuckling.

"Can we drop it, now?" he asked.

"For now," conceded Kalindra. "But only for now."

* * *

"So, Cho was here, this afternoon," said Harry, later that day, as he and Ginny were getting ready to get down to dinner.

"Was she?" said Ginny, puzzled. "It's a long way from London…" she added, with such a feint casual tone that Harry laughed.

"Don't go that way, love," he said. "I know for a fact that you're not jealous of Cho and that you have no reason to be, anyway."

"Yeah, well, I like to keep you wondering," said Ginny, with a grin. "How is she?"

"Distraught, as expected," said Harry. "She is pretty messed up, actually. She somehow managed to find a way to blame herself for the whole mess."

"What?"

"Some nonsense about not being good enough or attractive enough…" Harry said, with a disgusted face.

"Harry James Potter, please tell me you told her she is wrong," said Ginny.

"Of course, I did," said Harry. "But you know Cho. She's pretty stubborn."

"Poor dear," said Ginny. "Would you look at that? Me, the little freckly redhead pitying the gorgeous Quidditch star… where does the world come to, seriously?"

Harry went to slide his arms around her waist.

"You should have said the drop 'dead gorgeous ginger knockout', love," he said, teasingly.

"Nicely put, Mr Potter, but don't change the subject," said Ginny, smiling as she gave in to the embrace. "What did you tell her?"

"I told her the jerk wasn't worth it, and that he wasn't good enough for her in the first place," said Harry. "She thanked me, but I'm not sure the message got through. You think you could talk to her?"

"Me? Harry, she's your first girlfriend, and I'm the one who beat her at Quidditch, back in school… Wouldn't that be awkward? I'm not supposed to be supportive of your exes, anyway."

"Oh, come on, Ginny," said Harry. "You've been through what she's going through, and you kept your head high. I think she could use some Weasley advice on how to deal with a nasty break-up with a jerk."

"You mean by having your brother and the boy you secretly love go over and beat the crap out of him?" she said, her smile turning impish. "That's a technique that made its proofs."

"I don't even know if Cho's brother is prone to punches," said Harry. "And if she had a boy she secretly loved, she wouldn't be so depressed, right?"

"Unless it's you and she knows you will never be hers," said Ginny, feigning a suspicious tone.

"Okay, maybe I'll send Hermione instead," said Harry, laughing. "She didn't go through a harsh break up but she knows a thing or two about payback. And that would be safer for Cho's health, apparently."

"I'll see if we can both go to talk to her," said Ginny, chuckling lightly.

"Well, if you do that, I'm sure Jimmy's obituary will be published very soon, so… not a good idea," countered Harry.

"Harry Potter! The way you go on about me, you make me look like a murderous psychopath!" she protested.

"You can't deny you are a scary woman," said Harry, tenderly. "And Hermione is a genius, so the two of you… the male population doesn't stand a chance against that."

"Be sure to keep that in mind, then, when you mention your ex, Harry," said Ginny, poking his skull with one finger. "You managed to make that sound harmless, this time, but it's still talking about your ex, which is a clear breaking of Ginny's rule number five."

"_No ex talk, unless they're Ginny's exes_," quoted Harry, rolling his eyes. "Will you at least admit those rules are unfair?"

"Nope," said Ginny, smugly, without letting go of his neck. "Ginny's rule number one: _Ginny is never wrong or unfair. She's the perfection incarnate,_" she added, punctuating each word with a kiss on his cheek.

"I can only subscribe to that second part, sadly," said Harry, kissing her more deeply this time.

"Oooh, smooth, Potter," she commended him. "Anyway, I'll think about speaking to Cho, but doesn't she have any friend that can do that for her?"

"Probably," said Harry. "But I have complete trust in your competence in boosting her self-esteem. And honestly, if she felt the need to come and see me about that, it means her closer friends aren't doing a very good job."

* * *

Friday came quickly and on Friday's afternoon; the students walked out of class all excited by the first Hogsmeade week end. The mood was pretty silly at the end of the day.

A perfect example was when Ian walked out of Transfiguration with Kieran, Morag, Joel and the others. They were discussing why the spell to turn a turtle into a lizard was so tricky. Ian had mastered those kinds of spell for long in chaotic Magic, but with a wand, that was another business. Even Kieran hadn't succeeded in changing her turtle into nothing more than a turtle without its shell.

Terry and his Gryffindor friends showed up at the turn of the corridor, in the middle of a huge fit of laughter, apparently. That group was often like that. As soon as he saw them, Terry came to a an obvious pause and pointed dramatically at them.

"There she is! The hottest chick in the place!" he said, pointing at Morag, who had a sigh, rolling her eyes.

Ian snickered. It had been like that for years. Terry would play that game all the time, pretending to be Morag's lovesick admirer, while she would consistently shoot him down in flames. Ian knew she liked the game just as much as Terry did. And the fact was, sadly, that Terry had never managed to outwit her.

"The hottest chick in the place?" said Morag. "I'm a cooked bird to you, Longwand?"

"Oh, you got my meaning, Monaghan," laughed Terry. "The hottest girl around this corner."

"So much better," said Morag, on a critical tone. "Just this corner or you mean to include the entire hallway. Please be kind and at least make me the prettiest girl in the wing."

Terry had a sigh, turning to his friends.

"See what odds I'm up against? She's analysing everything. Such a bookworm!"

Morag turned to her Ravenclaw fellows.

"And now he's insulting me! Was that supposed to be flirting? Did you honestly believe that line would work?" she asked Terry, who was walking closer.

"Well, not really, but it got your attention, didn't it?" said Terry with a toothy smile.

"That's pathetic!" laughed Morag. "You're just embarrassing yourself in front of your friends," she added with a nod toward the Gryffindor, who all showed their agreement with vigorous nods of heads and bright grins.

"You're well worth a little embarrassment, my dear," said Terry with a wink.

This stunned Morag into silence for a second, while her friends laughed. Ian joined in, as well, until Morag regained her composure.

"I think he got you, here, Morag," he said.

"Yes, I guess so," finally admitted Morag.

"Say it," said Ian, on a sententious tone.

"Oh, now, don't push it," said Morag, feigning outrage.

"You have to say it," insisted Terry, merciless.

"Alright!" she exploded, laughing. "This one was good!"

"Thanks," said Terry, with a grin. "So… I'll see you in Hogsmeade, then?"

"You mean on a date?" said Morag, feigning marvel, and fanning her face with her hand.

"Er… I…" stuttered Terry.

"Relax, I'm just messing with your head, Longwand," she said, with a punch on his shoulder.

She then walked away with Kieran and Mary in tow, humming to herself, leaving Terry a little disgruntled at the fact he had just been had.

Let it not be said that Terry Longwand could score a victory like that on Morag Monaghan and get away with it.

* * *

At dinner, Julie and her friends were discussing the Quidditch game, which would take place on the next morning. Gryffindor versus Slytherin. The girls were telling her that it was a great occasion to impress Robert. That was a good idea. They were giggling at the thought. Julie had to admit the idea of impressing Robert had a certain appeal. She couldn't delude herself any more. She was falling for the guy and the thought of her date with him in Hogsmeade was getting more exciting by the minute.

Suddenly, Julie caught a glimpse of Kenneth's face. His face had gone a little grimmer. He was again looking at Donahue, with the familiar loathing in his eyes.

Julie turned to Kalindra. As Kenneth's closest friend, she was the obvious person to ask.

"Okay, what's wrong with Kenneth?" she asked under her breath. "He seems like the sweetest, smooth mannered guy, but each time Robert is mentioned, he starts to look like he's planning murder. What's the deal?"

She refused to believe he could just be jealous. That didn't seem to be Kenneth's type, and he hadn't shown anything that said he was interested in her.

Kalindra sighed.

"It's a mess, really," said Kalindra. "Kenneth and Donahue could have been friends, if things hadn't turned that way. Robert is, as I told you, a nice Slytherin. He's not like that Macke jerk. But I don't know what happened between Kenneth and him, in second year, but they have started to butt head on a regular basis. I think Kenneth has felt insulted, at some point. In third year, Kenneth was humiliated, with no way to respond in front of the whole Slytherin year. He has kept a grudge about that. He won't tell me what it was about, but anyway, it seems that Robert has grown in aura from that little score. And Kenneth gets poked at often about it. I can tell that he's still mad about it. So, since you're around, Robert gets mentioned more often on our table, since he's growing so close to you. I'm all in favour of Kenneth dropping it, because it's eating up at him. And I think it's getting very old. But one can't reason with a Lionheart on matters of honour. That's their only flaw."

"But is there no way this could get better?" asked Julie.

She was a little sad to know that if she was to meet Robert's advances, she would be at odds with Kenneth, whom she wanted to be friends with.

"The best you could do is to ask him yourself," said Kalindra.

"How? This is private stuff. He won't talk to me in the Common Room just like that."

"Well, let me give you a little tip on Kenneth's quirks and habits," offered Kalindra. "Kenneth is a very secret guy. He always seeks isolation to do some things. And he's always the last one to get up to bed in the Gryffindor Tower. You could go back down, and talk to him."

"Well, that's an idea," said Julie, thoughtfully.

* * *

_This must be the dumbest idea you ever had, Julie, _she thought, six hours later, when she was walking down the stairs leading to the Common Room.

It wasn't because they would be alone that Kenneth would talk to her. And was it a good idea to find herself alone with him in the Common Room, late at night? This thought was giving her strange feelings. Some nervousness and anticipation at the same time. She couldn't tell what it was, but the idea of being alone with Kenneth felt curiously electrifying.

She reached the back of the stairs, and shot a quick look into the Common Room. He was here. Kenneth was in the middle of the room, his wand in hand, the tip tracing elaborate curves in the air. Julie stood still at the bottom of the stairs, looking at the waves, fascinated.

At some point, Kenneth made a swift turn and found himself facing her. He froze. Surprise passed on his face, then embarrassment. He lowered his wand slowly. He had a slight smile on his face.

"I didn't want to disturb you," said Julie.

"You're not disturbing," said Kenneth Immediately. "It's just that I wasn't expecting anyone to get down at this hour. I don't fare that well, with an audience."

"Sorry about that. But about people down at this hour… Well, you're up, aren't you?" said Julie, with a grin, walking in the Room more frankly.

"I guess," admitted Kenneth.

"What are you doing down here?" she asked.

"You'll find this ridiculous," said the young boy.

"Try me," said Julie.

"I was working on my wand moves," said Kenneth. "Sharpness and accuracy."

"Really? You do that every night?"

"Well, not every night," said Kenneth. "But often. That must sound silly."

"Silly? Why? Because you work so hard that we could mistake you for a Ravenclaw?" asked Julie. "I find this impressive, on the contrary."

Kenneth seemed surprised.

"Er… were you looking for something?" he asked, a little shyly.

"Not really," said Julie. "In fact, I was kinda… looking for you."

She felt herself blush before she could do anything about it. Why was she feeling so uncomfortable? That was strange! _Come on, it's just Kenneth!_ She told herself.

But Kenneth looked a little unsettled as well.

"I realized that there are a few things I don't understand about you," she went on, finally getting a grip on herself. " Like, I don't know… why…"

"Why I get so spiteful when it comes to Donahue?" offered Kenneth, with some fatalist smile.

"Well," said Julie, taken aback, "er… yeah."

Kenneth turned to the fire, and placed another strange move of his wand. It looked strangely elegant, like some fencer move. She didn't recognize the move.

"It figures," he said, almost for himself. "We have issues," he told her. "I… We got into a spat and he insulted me," said Kenneth, not looking at her.

"That's it? I mean, every Gryffindor seems to insult Slytherins and vice versa, on a daily basis."

"That's different," said Kenneth. "I usually don't take insults very seriously. I usually don't care what people think. I mean random people. But Donahue… He insulted my family's honour. That's something I take very seriously. He took me on in front of a huge bunch of Slytherins. I was outnumbered even then, so I guess it doesn't make a huge difference that Snape showed up at that moment. I was being mocked by dozens of his students, I was glued to the spot, boiling up and he looked at me, as if daring me to make a move. Donahue was very proud of himself. He has scored big time against me, this day. And since I couldn't stand up for myself, he's labelled me a coward for the whole school. The rumour is faint, but his gang is feeding it, making sure it's never forgotten. Most of my friends are unaware, and the girls chose to ignore it, because he's good looking. I loathe the bastard, because he questioned my honour, pushed me into a dead end and now I'm coward for not retaliating."

He said all that on a very detached tone. Julie knew he was doing an effort to tell her that calmly, so she would understand.

"You're not a coward," she said.

"How do you know?" asked Kenneth coolly.

"Well, the Hat placed you in Gryffindor, didn't it?" said Julie, enouncing the obvious fact.

Kenneth had a sad smile.

"Tell this to Donahue," said Kenneth. "What's with this guy anyway?"

He suddenly turned to her, and his face was back to a friendly smile, even he didn't look very at ease with it.

"Seriously, what's with him? I mean, how come all the girls can dismiss that he's a jerk sometimes. It's the smile? The look? What? I've seen you look at him. At least tell me what the deal is with this guy."

Julie thought a long time before to answer. What made Donahue so attractive to her? Kenneth deserved an honest answer, if only for the frankness with which he had answered her question.

"Well, I'm not sure. It's a mix of many things. He's a gentleman. He's… well handsome. He behaves with something like… I don't know… style, maybe. And he's brilliant, you can't take that from him," she said.

"Guess I can't," said Kenneth, smirking. "He's still a Slytherin."

"I heard Kalindra call him a decent Slytherin," said Julie. "He hasn't shown anything to me that would say that he cares very much about blood," said Julie. "He never asked about mine."

"Because he likes you," said Kenneth flatly.

"You think so?"

"Well, yes," said Kenneth. "He's after someone in Gryffindor or he wouldn't even get near our seats in our classroom. He didn't last year, despite having good relationship with some girls of the year. I'm pretty sure it's not me he's after, so it must be you."

Julie had a very confusing impression on that. On one hand, she couldn't help to be glad that Donahue was genuinely interested in her, as reminded to her by Kenneth's observation. But on the other hand, she was somehow worried about Kenneth's reaction to that. It was a curious thing to think. Like she didn't want to hurt him.

"You don't really like the idea, do you?" she asked.

"Well, no," said Kenneth, with smile.

"Why?"

"I guess I just don't trust Donahue. Besides, I don't want you to get hurt, you know?" he said, pondering his answer.

"Are you always so protective?" asked Julie with a warm grin.

"Well, I usually don't get close enough to people to become protective," Kenneth said, flatly.

"Pity," said Julie. "I'm sure some girls wouldn't mind to be watched over by someone like you."

Kenneth shrugged sceptically.

"I know I don't mind," said Julie.

Kenneth turned a surprised look to her. She stood up and walked to him. He began to feel a little uneasy with her so close to him.

"What was that move you made just minutes ago?" she asked with a smile.

Kenneth seemed to give a little start, coming back to his senses.

"Oh! This? This is the move you should make for a stunning spell," he said, rubbing his neck.

"Where did you find that?" she asked.

"Er… My dad's library. He knows a lot about Charms and all kind of spells. He's an Auror, so he has to keep up with the new things."

"That must be fascinating!" said Julie.

Kenneth's face seemed to darken a little.

"Yes, fascinating," he said.

Julie sensed that it might be a very delicate subject so she dropped it.

"Care to show me how you do this?" she asked.

"Now?" said Kenneth, astonished.

"Why, do you have to get some sleep?" asked Julie casually.

"No, but you should. You have a game tomorrow," he said, with his friendly smile back on his face.

"Oh, right," said Julie. "Just this move then."

Kenneth chuckled.

"Riana is going to kill me," he said. "Alright. Your wrist must be very flexible. Then you just do this."

He showed her a very complex move, but at a slow pace. Then he held out his wand and she took it. He showed her how to place herself 'to have a good balance on your feet, it's very important.' He corrected her once or twice on the move, then he made her do it quicker. Fifteen minutes of hushed laughter and chuckling, Julie was getting it right.

"And now I only need to enounce the word?" she asked.

"Well, after that, you need only three things," said Kenneth.

"What?" she insisted.

"Concentration, inner power, and very good legs," he answered.

"Good legs?"

"Well, if one teacher catches you stunning someone in this school, you'd better run like Hades," said Kenneth.

Julie chuckled again. He could be funny when he was relaxed enough. She had seen it on the train, but not very much since then. She looked at the clock over the Mantelpiece. It was definitely time for her to go to bed or Riana Walborough would really kill her.

"Well, guess I've got to go," she said. "That was nice of you to show me this."

"No problem," said Kenneth.

She walked to the stairs.

"Oh, Julie?" Kenneth called after her.

She turned to him.

"I heard you saw something in the edge of the forest?" he asked.

"Yeah, I thought so," said Julie. "Why?"

"Well after I saw that you were on the team, I went for a walk around the lake, and I think I saw… something moving there. I'm not sure of what it is but…"

"But you saw it," said Julie, somehow relieved not to be alone in this case. "I was afraid I was going nuts, or something."

"You're not. You have an idea of what it was?" he asked.

"No, but I felt like it was hostile, you know," said Julie, a little scared at the thought, "as if it wanted to harm me, in some way. Maybe I just imagined that part, of course. But there was something there."

Kenneth nodded.

"Well, if you see it again, you should warn someone, like Professor Potter," said Kenneth.

"Alright," said Julie. "Good night, Kenneth."

"Good night," said Kenneth.

She climbed up the stairs, and sneaked back into her dormitory. She silently changed her robes for her night gown and slipped in her bed.

"So? What happened?" whispered Kalindra, on her right, making her jump like mad.

"Are you out of your mind? You nearly killed me on this one," said Julie, catching her breath. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you went down, you talked to him, and you're back nearly an hour later. So what happened? Does Mr Donahue still seem so attractive, or would you consider another candidate?"

Kalindra's voice was nothing more than a whisper, but Julie could tell the amusement in it.

"Nothing happened. He's just working on his wand waves. He showed some to me. We talked a little."

"Waves of wands? Yeah, right," Kalindra said under her breath.

"That's all, I swear!" protested Julie on the same tone.

"You know what's the worst in this?" asked the hushed voice of Mandy, who made the both of them freeze. "It's that she's probably telling the truth. Kenneth embarking in a snogging session in the middle of the common room? As likely as Snape handing out flowers with a dreamy smile on his face. Now get to sleep or tomorrow, you won't be able to sit straight on your broom."

Kalindra chuckled. Julie buried herself under her blanket, the moments of the day spinning in her head. The very different faces of both Donahue and Kenneth. The charming assurance of the Slytherin and his strange contemptuous attitude to Kenneth. The shyness of Kenneth and his apparent weakness that was hiding a deep knowledge and some serious secret. It was confusing. She didn't know what to think. Moreover, she didn't know what to feel.

But she was too tired now to think about this. She fell asleep in minutes.

* * *

The next day, the whole school was sitting in the stands surrounding the Quidditch pitch, to witness the first game of the season. Gryffindor versus Slytherin. Julie could feel the tension in her team. It was the first game with the two new Chasers. She exchanged a look with William Thornhill, the young fourth year who was now her fellow Chaser. She smiled encouragingly to him and he smiled back.

"You think we will survive this?" he asked, under his breath.

"We'll be lucky if we survive Riana's speech," said Julie, throwing an amused loo to her Captain, who was speaking excitedly about the first impression and the impact it would have on the rest of the season.

She looked through the trap getting to the pitch. She saw the stands completely full. She noticed some familiar faces in the crowd. Robert Donahue was smiling broadly to his friends. Terry Longwand was sitting in the Ravenclaw stand. This was surprising. She took a closer look. He was settled in the stand, beside Kieran McDougall and Morag Monaghan. Julie smiled. She knew Kieran and Ian, who was sitting on the other side of Kieran with Joel were his best friends. But still, he didn't get to sit near them at the dinners, as he was staying on the Gryffindor table. Ian was chatting with Joel, but he was shooting quick looks at Terry, who was discussing with the girls. He seemed to be a little amused by Terry's attentiveness, though a little puzzled. Julie thought it was clear enough. Terry was a growing boy and his friends from Ravenclaw included very pretty girls.

Then she saw Kenneth. He was sitting beside Kalindra. He looked in a pretty good mood. He was figuring Quidditch figures with his hands, and at some point, he made his hands smash into each other, causing everyone around him to laugh.

Julie wondered if he was referring to her or to the Slytherin beaters, who had some comic reputation since their last game against Gryffindor. Apparently they had crashed into each other, after Caroline Swanheart had dodged some attack on her.

Riana gave the signal to get on the pitch.

"Here we go," said William, trying to sound relaxed.

"Let's go score some goals, right?" said Julie.

They hit their fists together. William smiled.

"Let's," he said.

* * *

Madam Hooch blew her whistle and the game began. Kenneth was following Julie as she had gotten the Quaffle after the release. She was speeding through the pitch, avoiding the attempt of interception. The Gryffindor Beater deflected one bludgers from her course, and she faced the Keeper. She made a short spin, and shot through the highest hoop!

"_Julie Carteret opens the score for Gryffindor! It's ten point to None! Julie Carteret is the newbie of this team, along with William Thornhill. She's been playing in France before, and we can't doubt Her skills when we see her fly. Remember that Jenny Wheeler, the new Gryffindor seeker was replacement last year."_

Kenneth and his friends were cheering at Julie's first goal.

Later, as the Slytherin Chaser Trenton was shooting through the pitch, Julie suddenly shot right at him. She punched the Quaffle from his grasp and retrieved it. She then made a pass to Thornhill, who dodged the two other Chasers. He was focusing the attention on himself. William suddenly passed to Mellow, the oldest Chaser, who caught it, and scored. Twenty to none. The Slytherin Beater succeeded in sending a bludger at Thornhill, who had to make a wild dodge to avoid the collision. He dropped the Quaffle. But Julie caught it and shot again through the pitch on her broom.

"_Wow! Never ask me to speak ill of French Broomsticks again. Look at that!"_

Julie was so fast the Keeper couldn't see where she was heading. Julie took her shot easily and scored again. Thirty to none.

"I told you she was good," said Kenneth, smiling to Kalindra.

"Yeah," said Kalindra, waving her hands to Julie, when she passed over the stand.

* * *

The game had been going on for twenty minutes now, and, Harry had to admit it, even in his days in the Gryffindor Team, Slytherin had never been so humiliated. They had succeeded in scoring only one goal. Julie Carteret and William Thornhill had scored 14. If you added to that the three goals that had scored Mellow, the Gryffindor team was even safe from a snitch catch by the Slytherin Seeker. They would still win by twenty points.

Harry was amused to see Snape's face go paler and paler with each goal. And McGonagall's face looked more smug at each score change, as well. The Head of Gryffindor didn't brag much about anything, but her House Pride did mean a lot to her, and Quidditch was a passion for her, who had been a player in her school years.

Suddenly, three broomsticks dived in the same direction! Harry saw that Jenny Wheeler, Marlon Brandt and Julie Carteret were diving after the snitch! Actually, Julie was flying right at Wheeler's side, the Quaffle under her arm. Brandt, the Slytherin seeker, was trying to catch up with them. Julie seemed suddenly to make some signal to Wheeler. They switched place three or four times, very quickly, crossing path, but still sticking to the snitch course.

Then, they parted way, as Wheeler was following the snitch, and Julie was heading to the goal posts. But Brandt, confused, followed Julie!

"Brilliant!" said Ron, beside Harry.

Harry nodded. Julie scored her tenth goal, as Brandt was trying to catch up again with Wheeler. But before he could, Wheeler caught the snitch, ending the game.

"_Gryffindor wins!"_ exclaimed the commentary, a Hufflepuff fourth year. _"Incredible feint of the seeker and the Chaser that had completely confused the Slytherin Seeker! Seems like Carteret and Thornhill earned well their place in the team, as they scored a high number of goals that allow Gryffindor to win by 330 to One! That's the highest score gap for a century, as Professor McGonagall informs me!"_

Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny were applauding enthusiastically, as the Gryffindor team was getting slowly to the ground.

* * *

Julie was carried on two seventh years' shoulders, and she saw William and Jenny being carried up as well. She saw her friends run to her through the Quidditch pitch. Will was jumping in every direction, screaming like some maniac. Jennifer was beaming. Kalindra grabbed her hand and shook it so hard Julie was afraid she might hurt her shoulder. Kenneth was walking to her, smiling broadly.

But he was suddenly pushed out of the way by Robert Donahue, who walked to her. The Gryffindors frowned a little and let Julie back to the ground. Donahue smiled and took her hand.

"Well, I've got to admit that you amazed me," he said. "It's an honour to be beaten by a player like you."

He kissed the back of her hand again, like the first time they had met. He turned to the other players.

"Congratulations," he said, smiling. "I guess you'll have a lot of enemies now in Slytherin."

The whole group laughed at that. Donahue shook some hands. Julie could see Rob and Will make faces. Mandy was rolling her eyes.

"Oh, please!" she mouthed.

Julie found that amusing, just as amusing as it had been nice of Donahue to admit the defeat of his team. That was very sporting attitude. But she caught a dark look from Kenneth aimed at Robert's neck. She would have to mention it. Maybe she could get Robert to stop harassing him so much.

She caught a glimpse of something moving at the edge of the woods. She threw an intense look to it. But she couldn't make out any form. And this time, the sensation of danger wasn't there. Or was it?

But before she could look closer, she was again carried away by the Gryffindor team. She lost trace of it.

The impression remained however, long enough to disturb her even when her three friends, Jennifer, Kalindra and Mandy took her back to the Castle, so they could pick up their outfits for the trip to Hogsmeade, the next day. By the time Jennifer had discarded three different coats and pants, Julie was still unsure of what she had seen.


	8. Challenges and a Clash

**Challenges and a clash**

* * *

The Hogsmeade trip came and went. Ian and his friends had had a blast exploring the village. Most of them had never seen it before, and so the magical place had been a wonder to visit. Terry, at some point, had offered to accompany the girls to a book shop, which had surprised Ian, but it had turned out to be a great idea, because they had found on of the best stores in Hogsmeade. The owner sold regular books, that held a lot of proprieties, but he also had a stock of muggle books that he personally enchanted to tell the story aloud. Ian had found a few muggle books about magic that were hilarious. Diana, ever the romantic, had found a book about a Vampire that was actually not so inaccurate. The whole trip had been fun.

Ian had run into a few people on the way. He had seen Kenneth hang out with Will, Rob, Kalindra and Mandy, and while they had seemed to enjoy themselves, Ian could tell that Kalindra was trying to get to spend some time alone with Rob. Ian knew that these two were going to be in trouble very soon.

He had also met Donahue and Julie. Julie had insisted to come and talk to him, and Donahue had been polite enough, but Ian still didn't think the idea of Julie dating the Slytherin prefect appealed to him. It was none of his business, though. His network had reported that Donahue had invited Julie to the Yule Ball, and that she had accepted. It seemed their first date was a success.

As the students made their way back to Hogwarts, the talks started to drift from dates, shopping lists and Quidditch results to be more about the nature of the Silver Quill Challenge. Kieran, in particular, showed some certain trepidation, as the feast grew closer.

Ian could understand her. It was one thing to step up and enter a contest, but when the nature of the trial would be revealed, that may turn into a whole different business.

Kieran barely ate anything, during the whole meal. She was growing restless, to the point of not making any sense anymore

"I shouldn't have entered!" she was saying. "I'm so not cut for this!"

"Kieran, you'll be fine," said Ian, casually.

"What if we have to fight a dragon? Or what if it is worse than a dragon… like a… Manticore, or werewolves… rabbits!"

"Kieran, you're starting to scare me," said Ian, grinning. "How would a rabbit be worse than a dragon?"

"If it is a dragon, transfigured into a rabbit…" said Kieran, shaking her head stubbornly, almost hysterical.

"Now, this is something I never thought I would see," said Gina, with an astonished smile. "Kieran overstressed about something? Who are you, and what have you done to our friend the Book Hydra?"

"A Hydra? Oh, no, it's even worse if it's a Hydra!" said Kieran, her voice getting weak.

"Now, that's enough, K!" snapped Ian. "Last year, it was just to find something among hundreds of replicas of the same jewel. How can it go from there to a dragon this year? Come on, it's the Silver Quill, not the Triwizard Tournament!"

Kieran stopped dead, her eyes round pointed at him. Then she took a deep breath.

"Okay," she said. "Okay, I've got this… I'm… cool and calm, and I've got this. Right."

"That's the spirit," said Ian. "It's okay, Kieran, it's only a game."

But Ian could tell that Kieran wasn't convinced. As dessert was closing in, she was starting to mumble again.

"Oh, no, no, no, no," she kept repeating, gradually going from a whisper to a wail.

Dumbledore then stood up as the last plates were cleaned up by the students. He raised his hands.

"Now that we have eaten to our content," said the elderly wizard, throwing a questioning look to the Gryffindor table, which was known for the legendary appetite of its occupants, causing a chuckle, among all the tables, "I would like to present to you the nature of the challenge the Silver Quill will pose this year to the students who have entered the competition. If you will all follow me, please."

He got up and walked to the great doors of the Hall, and Students left their seats to file up behind him, closely watched by their prefects and Heads of House. Dumbledore led them through various corridors, until he reached the archway that circled the courtyard. There, he opened one of the doors and revealed a large room, which housed two large blocks of bleachers, allowing the students to sit along the walls. As they took their seats, Ian and his friends could see that in the middle of the room, a lectern was standing. Kieran was throwing scared looks around, probably expecting some fiendish creature to show up. Ian had a smile.

When everyone was settled, Dumbledore called for silence.

"This is where each attempt to solve the puzzle offered by the Silver Quill Challenge will take place," he said. "On this lectern, inside that glass reliquary, rests the Silver Quill."

Ian detailed the lectern, and indeed, inside the reliquary, he could see the silvery jewel resting on a blue cushion. The whole lectern glowed with shifting colours, and as he extended his senses, he could see the magic at work in the spell guarding the jewel. It was confusing, and there was no way Ian could make any sense of it.

"The challenge is actually quite straightforward," said Dumbledore. "Whoever succeeds in freeing the Quill from this lectern wins."

"Of course," Professor Flitwick added. "The lectern had been put under a variety of enchantments. It is your task to try and figure what spells are involved, the way around them and a method to retrieve the Quill safely. Each team is granted as many attempt as they like, but be warned that any team is allowed to watch the others' attempts, so if you try too many times, you take the risk of revealing too much to your competitors."

"The team who achieves the release of the Quill," Professor McGonagall picked up, "shall be allowed to wear the Silver Quill brooch for a year, until the next challenge is issued. Any attempt at cheating will result in the loss of a hundred points for the House of the cheating team, or the student who tries to interfere."

Ian turned to see how Kieran was reacting to this. Her look of panic had vanished, now. She looked more focused than Ian had ever seen her. She was looking at the lectern with narrowed eyes, and Ian could almost hear the wheels turn inside her head. He had a smile. This was the Kieran he knew.

"See?" he told her. "You've got this."

"Shut up, Ian, I need to focus," she said distractedly.

Ian smiled at that, and exchanged a long knowing look with the rest of his friends.

The Teachers dismissed everyone and Kieran stood up in a second and went to fetch Gillian, before they walked to meet Alwena, in order to discuss strategy.

Ian looked at the lectern, with a smile. Well, this year clearly wouldn't be boring.

* * *

For the next three days, the school only lived for the Silver Quill challenge. The first group to attempt to retrieve the silvery jewel was from Ravenclaw, headed by Naveen Jones. It was pretty spectacular. They tried to knock off the lectern, so that the reliquary would be broken open. It was, by Naveen's own admission, a very crude approach, but it was meant to test out the spells involved. When the three students sent a knocking spell at the lectern in the middle of the Quill Room, the shockwave that came to hit them back threw them against the wall, where they got stuck for a few minutes, to everyone's delight. Of course, the spells were meant so that no one was harmed, and in fact, the three victims of the trick even joined in the laughter, because they were impressed by the subtlety of the retaliation. The lectern stood intact right where it was.

Each break between lessons ended up seeing the students rush to the Quill Room, so they would see another group try their luck. One student even asked Professor Flitwick, right in the middle of his lesson, if he could try something with the Quill. It was exceptionally granted, under the teacher's supervision, but ended with the poor Hugh Berinson stuck to the ceiling, his head down. Flitwick released him gently, with an encouraging word.

"Well, at least, that was innovative," he commended him.

Ian hadn't seen Kieran try anything, yet. She, Gillian and Alwena practically lived in the Library and almost slept in the Quill Room, observing, scanning, and studying the spells that had been identified, at this point. No one but the contestants knew what spells they were, since they didn't want any leaked information to another team.

But at some point, every team but Kieran's had made an attempt. Naveen had tried three times and it had been very fun to watch. The Hufflepuff tried mercilessly, and didn't seem to care about giving others information. In fact, what they tried was so bold, that Ian doubted that any other team would dare to try it. Hugh Berinson once told Ian that he enjoyed his f ailures as much as his progresses in the Challenge, because the effects of the traps were very fun and fascinating to study. Ian could tell that he had clearly understood the purpose of the Challenge. He was fairly sure that even Berinson, Clearwater and Nesbitt didn't think they would win this year. But they were having fun.

The Slytherins… well, the Slytherins, predictably, were in it for the win. And if Donahue, Janet Spencer and Wattham seemed to play by the rules and accept their mistakes for what they were: educational and fun, well the team of Smitts, Curran and Walbrough weren't in the same state of mind. Often, they would bully people out of the Room and lock it, so they could make their attempts privately. As soon as the word reached the teachers, Professor Flitwick came to enchant the door so it couldn't be locked anymore. As this wasn't technically cheating, they weren't put out of the race. Ian even saw Snape give them a little nod, once, so he clearly approved of that.

Donahue, for his part, had been thrown at least thrice across the room, but he took it with a smile. He had this particularity to be cheered on by people outside of his House. A good amount of girls were witnessing each of his attempts. Ian saw one of those and noticed that Julie was sitting as a witness, her friends around her. The French girl seemed a little preoccupied by something, but she still offered her support to her date for the Ball. To their credit, this team of Slytherin seemed to make progress, at least.

And Kieran's team still hadn't been seen. Ian wondered what they were up to.

You could at least hand this to Dumbledore, he knew how to make a year exciting. This was complete madness.

But in fact, as Ian was about to discover, madness hadn't even begun, yet.

* * *

It was a Thursday morning like any other and yet, as she woke up, Julie had the weirdest feeling, creeping at the back of her mind. It came back to her very quickly, like it always did, every morning. The edge of the Forest had felt strange and menacing again, right after the game. She had felt watched. More exactly, she had felt targeted. She had put it aside for a while, because of the excitement of the first days of the Silver Quill challenge, but it kept nagging at her.

She couldn't keep it to herself. She had resolved to talk about it, but she hesitated to go to the teachers right away. They could dismiss her fears, blaming it on nerves, maybe. It wasn't like she could expect them to take her word at face value. That would be presumptuous at best.

And then it dawned on her. Maybe he had sensed it, too. Kenneth had been at the game, after all. She got up quickly and headed for the bathroom to prepare for the day. By the time she went back to get her bag and her books, she had made up her mind. She would see if Kenneth could add his version to her story with the teachers. She went down the stairs leading to the common room, but when she got there, Kenneth was nowhere to be seen. She exited the Gryffindor Tower and went to the Great Hall, hoping he had gone down there for an early breakfast. The point was to talk to him alone, in order not to worry her friends or look like a lunatic. But she found her part of the table deserted. She was finally joined by the rest of the year, and when Kenneth finally showed up, yawning like crazy, it was too late to take him apart and bring up the subject. They were due to lessons that they didn't share. They were running late, actually, since Rob and Will had taken their sweet time to eat up their porridge.

Slightly annoyed at the delay, Julie's mood didn't improve when Trelawney's lesson ended up being one of the most nebulous and pointless she had ever attended. She was the first out of the classroom, rushing to catch Kenneth once he was out of his own class. She saw him in the hallway leading to transfiguration, talking to a Hufflepuff.

"Kenneth?" she called, catching up with him. "Could I talk to you for a second?"

Kenneth looked surprised, but still smiled.

"Sure," he said. "I'll see you later, Benjamin."

"Right," said the Hufflepuff, making himself scarce.

Julie wondered if he would be getting the wrong idea about their talk. Actually, she found she didn't care.

"What's the matter, Julie?" asked Kenneth.

"It's about what you felt at the edge of the Forest," she said.

"Did you feel it again?" asked Kenneth, sharply.

Julie noticed there had been a sudden shift in Kenneth's entire being. He wasn't the easy going, slightly shy guy who joked about Binns. There was curious... intensity about him, now, like he was on alert, for some reason. Julie was a little taken aback by it. It felt weird for a boy this age.

"Well, I'm not sure, but I think I sensed it again, after the game," she said. "'I was hoping you would have felt it, too, so it wouldn't be just me... you know?"

"Well, I didn't get that feeling, after the game, but if you want me to come with you to the Staff and tell I sensed it once, as well, I can," said Kenneth, seriously.

"You'd do that? Thank you so much, Kenneth," she smiled, relieved.

"No problem," said Kenneth, with a little smile. "How about this, we go to see Professor Potter. If anyone can sort out that kind of stuff, that's him, and he's pretty easy to talk to."

"Alright," said Julie. "So after McGonagall's lesson, we..."

"Hey, Julie!" came the excited voice, from across the hallway.

Robert came trotting, followed by his team-mate Warren Wattham, who worked with him on the Silver Quill Challenge. He reached them and eagerly caught her arm.

"Come on, I need to show you something before next lesson," he said, brightly. "Our next move for the Quill should be brilliant!"

Julie was dragged away before she could protest. Robert even pushed Kenneth out of the way, as he went. Kenneth stiffened a little.

"Do you mind, Donahue? Julie and I were having a conversation, here!" he said, coldly.

Robert seemed to realise that he had interrupted something. But he looked Kenneth up and down.

"Well, since it was with you, it couldn't be that important, could it?" he said.

Julie was a little unsettled by his tone. He had changed from his eager enthusiasm to a tense hostility toward Kenneth. What was wrong with these two? Julie didn't want them to get into a fight, so she stepped in between.

"Robert, don't…" began Julie.

"Forget it," said Kenneth, coldly. "Why was I even beginning to think that it was worth something talking to you? You know, Donahue, just because you don't care about something doesn't mean it's not important. You must be pretty arrogant, if you think so."

Robert seemed to have forgotten all about what he wanted to show Julie. Instead, he turned back to Kenneth with a sneer.

"Whatever, Lionheart," said Robert, sounding bored. "You're going to educate me, maybe? Teach me humility?"

Kenneth had also tensed. Julie sent him an imploring look, begging him to let it go. She clearly didn't want this to go wrong.

She hoped Kenneth would see reason, here.

* * *

When Kenneth saw Julie's eyes imploring him not to be rude, he summoned all of his patience to push away his annoyance at Donahue's attitude. He breathed in deeply, before to manage a shrug.

"Never mind," he said. "You're hopeless."

He turned on his heels and began to walk away, again, under the eyes of the whole hallway. He hoped for Julie that it was worth it, because he wasn't getting to take another humiliation like that, even out of friendship.

That would have been the end of that, if Donahue had kept his mouth shut, alas, it wasn't meant to be.

"That's right, Lionheart!" called the Slytherin prefect. "Back away! Again! Have you no spine at all? I mean, how much of a coward can a Lionheart be?"

The spark was small, but it was more than enough. Something in Kenneth caught fire. He stopped and turned again to face Donahue.

"Careful, Donahue," he said.

"Robert, that's enough," said Julie. "Let's go."

"Hold on, Julie," smiled Donahue, as if nothing was amiss. "I think we have a few items of business to clean up, Lionheart and I."

The tension was palpable, in the entire corridor. Some people were even drawn by the commotion, Will and Rob among them. The two Gryffindors came behind Kenneth.

"A problem, mate?" asked Rob, nonchalantly.

"Oh, yeah, typical," said Donahue. "Hide behind your friends. The usual for a coward like you."

"Hey, watch it!" warned Will, his hand going for his wand.

"Keep that wand where it is, Tyler!" countered Wattham, who looked tensed, and he didn't seem to like the way things were heading, but he wouldn't abandon Donahue.

"What's going on, here?" interrupted another voice.

Kenneth saw Professor Potter make his way through the crowd until he reached them. He saw Julie's relieved eyes, and again he hoped that was worth it, because rescued by a teacher was even worse than to simply walk away. The Defence teacher was looking around.

"Well?" he asked.

"Simple difference of opinion, Sir," said Donahue, with just enough respect not to be slapped. "Lionheart, here, doesn't seem to think he has to stand for himself."

Kenneth's fist tightened. He saw Potter take a look at him.

"That will be enough," he said. "You will both follow me to my office."

"Yes, Sir," said Kenneth, still tense.

"Rescued, Lionheart? Well at least you didn't have to run away, did you?" laughed Donahue.

Julie was busy trying to smooth things up with Potter, explaining that it was all a misunderstanding. Potter's attention wasn't focused on either Donahue or Kenneth. Donahue used that to keep coming at him.

"Think your family's proud of you?" he finally sneered. "Lionheart, how can a name be so ill-fitted?"

That got Kenneth's and Potter's attention, as the Defence teacher was the first to react.

"You keep silent, Mr Donahue," he said sternly.

Kenneth's blood was already boiling, at this point. Not again. He wouldn't let it happen. Not this time.

Donahue was on a roll, so he went on.

"Maybe your parents are just like you, so they don't care," he said.

"Mr Donahue!" warned Potter.

"Is your Mummy a coward, too, Lionheart?" mocked Donahue.

Something snapped in Kenneth. All thought was banished, except for two. "_Not Mom_" and "_don't even need my wand._"

With a scream of rage, he lunged at Donahue, ignoring the shouts of Potter, the pleas of Julie and the warnings of Rob and Will. He caught Donahue by the collar and he armed a punch.

When it connected, the fire within Kenneth flared up. Not enough. He punched him again and again.

"You slimy bastard!" he roared, after the fourth punch.

"Kenneth!" screamed Julie.

"Mr Lionheart!"

That was Potter, but Kenneth was past caring. Donahue had slumped to the ground, and Kenneth was inches from kicking him when he was caught by Will and Rob, and dragged back.

"Let go of me!" he snarled.

"Kenneth," said Will, quickly. "He's had it!"

"Come on, Kenneth, calm down," added Rob.

"Detention, Mr Lionheart," said Potter, on a sad tone. "And twenty points from Gryffindor for attacking a student."

"Sir, he was provoked," said Will.

"Enough!" snapped Potter, and silence fell on the hallway.

Kenneth was still struggling, but his rage was receding, now. His eyes were still fixed on Donahue, whom Julie was helping back. The look Julie threw him sent a cold chill inside of him.

"Are you out of your mind?" she said, outraged.

Donahue stumbled on his feet.

"Duel!" he shouted.

"What?" exclaimed Potter, Will and Julie at the same time.

"I'm calling for a wizard duel for this attack!" said Donahue, his eyes burning.

"Don't be ridiculous," said Potter. "There will be no challenge of this sort."

"If I may, Professor," said another voice from behind the crowd of students.

The crowd parted to reveal Snape walking out, a slight grin across his face. Kenneth's rage flared up once more, when he saw the Head of Slytherin. His memory raced back to the last confrontation with Donahue and the part Snape had played in it. Now, he had this feeling he was about to be trapped, once more.

"In the real world, an attack like this on an unarmed wizard is a case of duel," said the Potions Master. "I think it may be interesting to show the ones who fight in the corridors how far that can take them."

"Surely you can't mean..." began Potter.

"I think it's a good occasion to educate them," said Snape. "I'll discuss this with Professor Dumbledore. Mr. Donahue, Mr. Lionheart, be ready to be summoned in my office."

Professor Potter narrowed his eyes for a second, and then he seemed to give up. He shot a hard look to everyone.

"You must be due to class," he said. "Get there at once. Those who have a break get to their common room."

Kenneth's mind had frozen. A duel? This couldn't be happening! It was … a sudden realization dawned on him as he looked at both Donahue's and Snape's faces. They were pleased with that! Donahue couldn't believe his luck, actually. Kenneth's rage turned cold, and shrugged off Will and Rob's restraining arms.

"Whatever," he spat, before to storm away.

He could hear Potter's voice turn icy as he addressed the Potions Master.

"May I have a word with you in my Office, Professor Snape?"

But Kenneth did not care. He shot a last look at Donahue, before to turn the corner. The prefect was so close to smirk that it had to be painful to keep an offended face, as Julie was fussing over the bruise on his face. The girl looked horrified and worried for the Slytherin. But he was past caring about that, too. Donahue had him right where he wanted him, and he was probably in the worst mess of all his school years. But again, he was way too angry to give a damn about this.

Will and Rob were tailing him, and at some point, they grabbed again.

"You need to cool off, mate," said Rob.

They pushed him in a deserted classroom.

"What on earth was that?" exclaimed Will as soon as they shut the door.

"Mate, it's not that those punches weren't awesome," said Rob. "But when did that come from? This isn't you!"

"I won't let him insult my mother!" exploded Kenneth. "Not my mother!"

"Come on, Kenneth, it's nothing!" said Rob. "You can't get mad like that..."

"No!" snapped Kenneth. "You don't understand. I've been patient. I've taken whatever he was throwing at me, without flinching. But not this! That snake does not get to talk about my mom! She was the bravest witch ever!"

Kenneth was getting all his anger out, now. He was shouting like never before. It was just too much to bear. He couldn't hold this any longer. All this rage he had felt since Donahue had first mentioned his mother. He suddenly slammed his fist against one of the tables. The table cracked when the punch hit it, and Kenneth looked at the hole for a long minute, before to notice that his hand was bleeding. Panting, he felt anger recede again, but not enough. He was starting to regain control over himself, though. He turned to his friends.

They had paled visibly.

"You said 'was'? You mother is…" he said.

"DEAD! Yes, she's dead! And when she died, it was fighting to save twenty lives! It took Voldemort to kill her. She's a hero!"

Kenneth was almost crying, out of rage and pain. Rob and Will were looking thunderstruck. Kenneth realized he was losing it. He had voiced all that he was keeping for himself for so long. And he realised he was taking it out on his friends, who didn't deserve that.

"I'm sorry," he said, with a weak voice. "I know I shouldn't yell all this at you."

"It's okay, pal," said Will. "You never told us that your Mum was… dead."

"I didn't want to talk about it," said Kenneth.

He had never wished to be defined by the kid who had lost his mom. He didn't want to be tip-toed around by his friend. Kalindra was the only one who knew that his mother had been killed.

"Well, you should get this kind of thing out of yourself more often," said Rob. "Because if you have to ruin your hand each time you want to exorcise your rage, you will end up with a permanent splint."

Kenneth let out a poor sounding laugh.

"Come on, we'll get you to Madam Pomfrey," said Will, dragging Kenneth by the arm. "And don't worry about that duel. I'm sure Professor Potter won't let that happen."

Kenneth followed, without resistance. His mind was still spinning, confused between rage and anguish. He just couldn't be involved in a duel. The words of his father echoing in his mind...

_You can't get into a duel. It's not our way._

* * *

Harry slammed the door of his Office behind him. Snape walked in casually. He smiled to Harry.

"Is there a problem, Professor?" he asked.

The tone of his voice when he said 'Professor' was enough to tell Snape's opinion on Harry's position in Hogwarts' staff. Harry sighed to calm himself.

"What the hex have you done?" he suddenly barked. "Setting up a duel between fifth years! This is madness. Since you've been teaching here for decades, now, you must know by now that this place is a school, right?"

"If I hadn't allowed this duel, Donahue and Lionheart would have done it anyway, but under no control whatsoever. I did this to prevent any serious accident," answered Snape.

"And next time two students will have a row, they will challenge each other for any kind of motive!" said Harry. "You know perfectly that Mr Lionheart wouldn't accept any challenge like that. I had forbidden this duel. I would have kept an eye on Donahue! Now we'll have to explain students that this Duel is happening, in spite of all the forbidding in the School rules."

"You care about the school rules, now, Potter?" said Snape with a nasty smile.

"Don't play that game with me, Snape," shouted Harry. "You don't like me, that's one thing, but don't you ever question my concern for the students of this school. I'm not one of your students anymore. Students try to break the rules. This is the way things go. But that doesn't mean that these rules are not important. I've never been involved in a duel at school, except for this parody of duelling club, in my second year. We must do something against it before it's too late."

"So, now what, will you be the one who will prevent the duel, Potter?" said Snape. "Another occasion to shine in front of everybody, maybe?"

Harry sighed heavily.

"I didn't ask for that job, in the first place, Snape," said Harry. "Professor Dumbledore offered it to me. It's not my fault if you want it for years. Don't take your revenge on me by undermining my authority on the students."

Snape's smile faded. He seemed suddenly furious.

"Out of my sight, Potter," he said, his face going very pale.

"Didn't you notice, Severus?" said Harry with a mischievous smile, looking around. "You're in _my_ office."

Snape looked around, and stormed out the room, his robes flying around him. Harry slammed the door behind him. He was still furious. A duel! What was he thinking?

* * *

When Kenneth came back In Gryffindor tower, having missed the last lessons, since he was with Madam Pomfrey, most of people tried to cheer him up, congratulating for being involved in the event of the year.

"I hope you kick his…" began Terry Longwand, but he stopped at Will's warning look.

Kenneth wasn't really glad to be involved in a duel. And he didn't want to be congratulated for that.

And he certainly didn't expect the reaction of the girls of his year, when he reached them. He sat in an armchair, facing the fire, without saying a word, his hand wrapped in a bandage. He noticed the dark looks coming from Kalindra and Jennifer, who were whispering between them. Mandy wasn't saying anything. She was looking sad, but, at least, not hostile. Tired to feel their stares on the back of his head, he suddenly turned to them.

"What?" he asked fiercely.

"Honestly, you could have avoided all the trouble," said Jennifer. "What was the point in all this?"

"I couldn't let him get away with this!" he said, coolly. "What, you're upset because I gave your precious Donahue a black eye, or something?"

"Kenneth," said Kalindra. "When it comes to him, you lose any kind of sense. Isn't it possible you just overreacted?

"You punched him, for Merlin's sake! What for? For some lousy insults? It's been the deal between Slytherins and Gryffindors for decades, if not centuries. Honestly, there was no reason to jump at him like that," said Jennifer, with a little haughtiness in her voice.

"Jen, trust me, you want to shut up, just right now," said Rob with a warning look.

"So, now, you're forced to fight him?" said Kalindra. "That was your grand plan to stay out of trouble, Kenneth? Good job."

"Please, girls," said Will, with very insisting eyes.

"What?" finally asked Kalindra, looking at him, fiercely.

He had enough. Kenneth suddenly stood up, and walked out of the Common Room, throwing off an armchair on his way. Before he got out, he could hear Rob call after him, and Will shout after the girls.

"_Good job_?" Will was saying in disbelief. "_Good job_? And I'm the one who hasn't any sensibility? You've got to be kidding me!"

Julie wasn't sleeping well. She was completely confused about what had happened today. She couldn't help but feel responsible of this duel that was about to take place.

Of course, Robert had insulted Kenneth. She had told him that he had been wrong. But then again, why Kenneth did get so violent? It was the first time she had seen him this way. Maybe he was a little too sensitive over this issue, for reasons she couldn't fathom. But she couldn't understand him. Even if Robert had pushed him, and he had reacted after restraining himself for years, this didn't justify such a fury!

And why exactly did Kenneth let all the other kinds of insult pass by him without reacting? Why was he only after Robert?

Maybe that was because of this that Robert had provoked him. They had apparently something to settle.

But which side was she supposed to take? The girls in Gryffindor did agree with her that Kenneth had gone too far, and without a true reason.

Still, the situation was getting dangerous. A duel wasn't a joking matter. And she didn't want any of them to get hurt. She was just hoping that her presence hadn't worsened the situation between Robert and Kenneth. She'd hate to think that she would be the cause of this.

She hadn't been able to talk to Kenneth, when she had come back in the tower. He had gone for a walk. After that; he had only made a short apparition at the dinner, where, of course, the main discussion theme had been the fight between him and Donahue. Kenneth hadn't spoken a word to anybody, had eaten quickly and was gone without a word.

Julie drifted into a troubled sleep.

And again, the dream came back. She hadn't had it for month, but each time she was having a bad sleep, it came knocking at her mind's door.

_The woman had a mad glint in her eye._

"_Time to enter eternal glory, young one," she said._

_Julie fought against the chains, and spat in her face._

"_You're insane!" she said._

_The woman only smiled, as she wiped Julie's spit from her face._

"_Brave and strong," she mused. "A true Gryffindor. Perfect. Time to die."_

_A bright light exploded around Julie and a wave of terrible pain engulfed her, and her scream tore through the cave. _

_Rough hands suddenly shook her... _

"Julie! Come on, wake up!" shouted Kallie.

Julie's eye popped open, and she found herself facing Kalindra, covered in cold sweat. She looked around her, and saw the reassuring vision of her bed's curtains around her. She was safe. She suppressed a shiver.

"What was that about?" asked Kalindra.

"I don't know," said Julie. "I just don't know."

'Are you okay?" asked Kalindra.

Julie breathed in deeply, to collect herself, and then she nodded.

"I'm okay," she said. "I... You can go back to sleep, Kalindra. Thanks for the wake up."

"No problem," said Kalindra, smiling.

Julie tried to get back to sleep, but thoughts were dancing in her head, troubling her rest. She stayed awake a long moment, fearing the moment she would plunge again in her troubled sleep. She was dreading the moment she would get back into dreaming. Again, like many times before, Julie recoiled in her bed, hugging her blanket tightly, trying to find some peace before to fall asleep again…


	9. Wands at the ready

_A/N: a little note before I go on with this one. This Chapter must be the one I reworked the most since I first wrote that story, years ago. I love the scenes around the duel, and i always felt the need to come back to them to add a few things here and there, tweak a few sentences, to make them better. _

_I always have music in mind when I write this bit of story. It started with a track by Michael Kamen, from the Three Musketeers disney movie. Then in my mind, the music changed to the duelling club scene from The Chambers of Secrets movie (for obvious reasons). In this newest version, I had a new atmosphere in mind for it, based on the musics of Alexandre Desplat (Deathly hallows ^part 1, "rescuing Hermione") and Christopher Beck (Percy Jackson, "son of Poseidon"). I hope it's to your liking._

* * *

**Wands at the Ready**

* * *

"I'm afraid that we can't cancel this, now that it is launched," said Professor Dumbledore.

Both Harry and Professor McGonagall looked thunderstruck. Snape had a slight smile of triumph.

"But this is madness," said Harry. "If we begin to allow duels…"

"If I may, Professor," interrupted Snape. "I won't tolerate any attack on the students of my House. The Slytherin students have a deep sensitivity when it comes to their honour."

"_Their_ honour?" Harry replied, his eyes widened in disbelief. "You weren't even there! Donahue provoked this! The Honour at stake is Kenneth's. Your solidarity for Slytherin goes too far, Snape!"

"Mr Lionheart was insulted first?" asked Professor McGonagall.

"Donahue accused him of being a coward, and asked if his mother was one, too. I don't think I will need to remind you of who Sarah Lionheart was. Kenneth was wise enough not to pull his wand at once, and to be honest, I was this close to smack Donahue myself. But he couldn't stand this. I watched him. He spent the beginning of this year swallowing his pride, not to be involved in a mess like this. And that is not being a coward, I'm sure of this. I've seen him stand up to bullies. He just refuses to use his wand. This whole thing isn't a question of honour. At least, not Donahue's."

"Lionheart is weak," said Snape. "He has the powers to be a great wizard, but he doesn't use even the third. He doesn't want to face the price of his actions, that's all. This duel can't be cancelled, or Donahue will go after Lionheart on his own accord."

"What are you telling us, Snape?" spat Harry. "Have you lost the control over your students_ again_?"

"Enough," said Dumbledore. "Harry, let's not bring this issue out of its context, shall we?"

"Sorry, Sir," said Harry, sitting back, but still glaring at Snape.

"This is too late to stop anything," said Dumbledore. "This duel will have to take place. You and Professor Snape will be the judges. And once everything is done, each of the duellists is to be sent here. That will be all. Severus, since you accepted that duel, you will set up all the details. But please, in the future, don't accept any other challenge. We mustn't get used to this."

This signalled the end of the meeting and left Harry cringing at this whole situation.

* * *

The rumour spread like dust in the wind. It was the main subject for most of the students' talk. The ones who didn't talk about it didn't because they were tired of it, or because they hadn't started yet. This was the biggest event of the year, forget about the Quidditch Cup, the Ball and even the Silver Quill. For the first time, a true duel of Magic would take place among students in broad day light. It was completely unexpected and, to say things accurately, unhoped-for.

This was some kind of entertainment everyone was eager to see. Sides were taken in the corridors. Supporters of Kenneth or supporters of Donahue. And of course, bets were placed. The highest odds were in favour of Donahue. It was widely known that he had been involved in clandestine duels, and that he had never been defeated. So few people believed in Kenneth's chances, but still, there was a discreet support from Gryffindor and Ravenclaw boys. The girls were more tied between House loyalty and sympathy for Donahue. Most of the Hufflepuffs didn't take sides.

As the one being de facto entrusted to lead the betting pool, Ian could tell that it was the most anticipated moment of this term, so far, even more than the Quidditch game opposing Ravenclaw to Gryffindor which was yet to come. Ian had heard of the duel his usual way, by spying on the office of Alexander, as Potter had been telling him the details. Ian was uneasy about offering students to bet on the duel, since he thought of Kenneth as a friend of his, and it seemed serious business. But so many students had come to him, out of habit, to set their bets, that he had been forced to make it happen.

Ian was sure that most of the students were having a lot of fun over this situation. Most of them except, of course, two. But Ian wasn't so sure that Donahue wasn't enjoying the situation.

* * *

"So," said Professor Snape, facing the two fifth years, with a silky smile, that seemed completely fake. "We have here two gentlemen that believe that the rules are nothing, and decide to sort out a dispute by a duel. Since we've been witnesses to this challenge, we decided to accept it, so you won't get involved into some clandestine duel. But be warned that this will be the only exception to a very serious rule. So this duel will take place on Saturday Morning, at ten, which is tomorrow. The place will be the Third Hall. You will present there and face the judgment of the Wands, who will decide who is the righteous in the dispute."

"I'm not getting into a duel," said Kenneth, simply.

Harry, having witnessed his rage, the day before, was surprised by his calm and restraint. He was standing behind the students, during the interview in Snape's Office. Snape glared at Kenneth.

"You should be quiet, Mr Lionheart," said Snape. "You attacked Mr. Donahue."

"And that's because the dispute didn't need a duel that I used my fists," replied Kenneth. "Pulling my wand for something like that is ridiculous. Besides, duels are forbidden for underage wizards."

"And fighting is forbidden by the school rules," said Snape. "Still you got over this rule, so why do you hesitate breaking another?"

"Because a duel is serious matter," said Kenneth.

"Really?" said Donahue, sarcastically. "And you think you can't handle serious matter? You're pathetic."

"Be quiet, Mr Donahue," said Harry, Donahue's attitude beginning to annoy him. "You'd be kind not to embitter the situation."

"You'd be kind not to interfere, Professor," said Snape sharply. "These students need to understand the cost of their actions."

Harry glared at him, but Snape went on, unfazed.

"There is no discussion," he said. "Since Mr. Donahue doesn't want to withdraw his challenge, you can't step back."

"Even if I apologize, I guess," said Kenneth, suddenly narrowing his eyes. "You want this fight, don't you, Professor?" he added, in a surprising display of clarity. "What are you getting out of this?"

"Beware of what you say, Mr Lionheart," said Snape, narrowing his eyes.

But Kenneth didn't lower his eyes. There was clearly some nerve in those eyes and Harry was now convinced that he was very different from the weak cowardly boy Snape was painting him as. Once more, Harry noticed the ponytail in the boy's hair and thought of Sarah… and Lancelot, Kenneth's father. Maybe it was that.

Kenneth was still holding Snape's gaze, which was, in itself, quite a feat.

"So, since it's been decided for me, I guess that there is nothing more to say," he said, very fiercely.

He stood up. Snape clenched his teeth.

"Sit down, Mr Lionheart," he said. "I'll have to explain the rules of the duel. And that will lose five points to Gryffindor."

"There's nothing to explain," said Kenneth. "I know the rules of a duel. Maybe this one will need your enlightenment. I don't."

"You…"

"Professor," intervened Harry. "I think that I will speak with Mr Lionheart, now. Out," he said to Kenneth. "You can explain all to Mr. Donahue."

"How dare…" began Snape.

"I've been designated as one of the judges," said Harry. "Mr. Lionheart will be there on tomorrow, at ten. Good day, Professor."

He followed Kenneth outside, without caring for Snape's fierce look.

* * *

Kenneth waited for Professor Potter, silently. He was still furious that Donahue had him in that corner!

Professor Potter looked at him thoughtfully.

"Let's take a walk," he said.

They went outside the Castle, to take a long walk around the lake. The weather was bleak, but it didn't rain. The fog over the lake hid most of the Forest from their eyes as they walked. Potter turned to him.

"What is the problem, Kenneth?" he asked. "Why do you refuse this duel?"

"I'm not sure you can understand, Sir," said Kenneth.

"Oh, you would be surprised by what I can understand," replied the teacher. "My guess is that you dread something," said Pr. Potter.

"I'm not afraid of him, Sir," said Kenneth, immediately.

"Oh, I know that," said Potter, smiling. "I've seen in your eyes that you don't fear him. But there's something that restrains you, isn't there? There is something that also prevents you from giving your full performance in this school. I know you're gifted. I've seen how you can master really delicate spells very easily. You have a gift. I know it. You shouldn't be afraid to use it."

"You don't get it!" protested Kenneth. "It's wrong! It's dangerous! I can't be involved in a duel, here! Not at school. A duel is a serious matter!"

Potter nodded at this.

"I agree," he said. "What do you fear, then? That there could be an accident?"

Kenneth sighed deeply, and nodded. This was part of the truth.

"Teachers will be here to control things, Kenneth," Potter insisted. "Neither you or your opponent will have to face serious damage. We can't allow this. The one who will lose this duel will be nothing more than a little embarrassed in front of his classmates."

"And if we lose control?" said Kenneth.

"The very fact that you ask this question shows that it's very unlikely to happen," said Potter. "You don't seem to be the kind of wizard that loses his temper. Well, most of times," he corrected with a smile.

Kenneth gave him back his smile, a little sarcastically, though. Potter pushed his advantage.

"The fact you don't want to endanger Mr. Donahue's life is praiseworthy, Kenneth. Still, I don't think you have a choice. You will have to face this duel. Now, I'll try a shot in the dark, here, but does your refusal have something to do with your so particular hair-style?"

Kenneth looked intensely at Professor Potter. What did he know? Potter only smiled.

"I know who your father is, Kenneth," said Harry. "He and your mother stood to help me, in the Order of the Phoenix, during the war. I had the honour of fighting beside your mother, when I was sixteen. If I hadn't been a teacher, I would have jinxed Donahue myself after what he had said of Sarah, to be quite honest. I don't think this duel is going to be the one either Mr. Donahue or Professor Snape expects. Am I wrong?"

Kenneth lowered his eyes, and then shook his head.

"This is the problem," he said. "It's dangerous."

"I don't think you have the right attitude regarding, this," said Potter. "It's a matter of pride, not dread."

"It's not, Sir," countered Kenneth. "It's a matter of honour. Of duty. I've inherited something. And this isn't a toy. And it has nothing to do with a school duel set up so Donahue and Professor Snape can score some points against Gryffindor."

Potter smiled lightly.

"I guess you see much, Kenneth," he said. "I think you're right. Professor Snape is in favour of this duel because he sees you as someone weak. Either he wants, in his own way, to toughen you up or he wants to favour his protégé. I'm not sure of his reasons, but still, this duel couldn't have taken place without his support. So, the least you can do is to prove him that he's wrong. I'm sure you have strength in you that he doesn't suspect. And I know you have the will to master it. You're in a dead end, Kenneth. This decision wasn't yours. But there is no reason you'd have to be the one to always suffer from it. Try to thing about that."

He turned to the Castle and let Kenneth alone to think about what he had said.

* * *

Harry walked back into the Castle to be caught up by Hedwig. She perched on his shoulder and delivered him a quick note from Oliver Wood. Frowning, Harry unfolded it.

_Harry,_

_Cho had an accident during the last game. She's in St Mungo's. The accident was serious enough for his broom to be ruined but not enough to endanger her life, fortunately. Given the events she's going through these days, I think she should have her friends around her._

_Come to visit her as soon as you can._

_Thanks a lot._

_Oliver._

Short, directive, that was Oliver for you. Harry had a smirk that disappeared as soon as he thought of Cho. Oliver was right. In the midst of her divorce, now wasn't the time to face an accident and the loss of her broom on her own.

Harry folded back the note. His lessons were over, so he was going to see her immediately. But at first, he had to warn Ginny, that he may be late for dinner. He wrote a quick note on the back of Wood's message. And he tied it to Hedwig's claws.

"Go give this to Ginny, okay?" he said, stroke her feathers.

Hedwig hooted sweetly and took flight from his shoulder. He walked again out of the Castle, and headed for Hogsmeade. From there he could apparate safely to London.

* * *

"Honestly, I've never seen something so pathetic," Donahue was saying. "He was pulling all the rules out of his sleeves to avoid the duel. I've never seen such a coward."

He walked out of sight. But many Slytherin students were still in Ian's earshot. They were gloating about this like vultures around a dead corpse. This was disgusting. Ian was feeling his temper rising quickly. His mood was already quite disastrous, as he was walking out of Potions, where he had to test his own Protective Potion on himself. He had hated the look on Snape's face, as he was drinking, along with his friends. And now, Slytherins were making fun of something very serious.

But it wasn't surprising. In the whole mess, Slytherin was the House to try and use the duel to get some fame and prominence.

They had even put up a banner across the wall, behind their table in the Great Hall, which had been inaugurated at breakfast, showing how fast they had worked on it. It showed two enlarged photographs, splashed across the fabric, with flashing letters and scorching flames, just like a Muggle prize fight announcement. The two shots weren't really showed in the same light, however. While Donahue was striking a series of poses that were both confident and elegant, Kenneth's picture had caught him unaware he was being shot. So he was acting a little oblivious, and even surprised to be looked at. At some point, he just glared at everyone, before to step out of the frame, which didn't help either, since it only implied the duel would be completely one-sided, and even suggested that he wouldn't show up.

Gryffindor students showed a surprising lack of reaction. A small, but dedicated group was campaigning to show their support to Kenneth. They were younger years, First and Second, mostly. Ian could guess why they were rooting for the fifth year, since he had often stepped up to stop bullying directed at them. But the rest of his House was more reluctant, actually, like they weren't sure Kenneth deserved them rooting for him. Ian was more than a little puzzled about the whole thing, and it was Alexander who had shed some light on the matter.

"The thing with teenagers is that they don't like the quiet type," he had explained to his apprentice, when Ian had brought up the issue, the very next evening.

After all, Alexander was a Gryffindor. He could understand the way they thought.

"Kenneth doesn't speak up," he went on. "He doesn't show off. He doesn't put himself forward, like Donahue does. It's like he doesn't want the support. Besides, Donahue is popular beyond the walls of the dungeons."

"You mean Donahue is popular enough to sway the House pride?" asked Ian.

"That can play a part, especially with the ladies," said Alexander with a smile. "And more importantly, Donahue knows how to play the school. He has this gift with people and he plays along with the general feeling: this duel is an occasion to shine. It's an event. It has nearly eclipsed the Silver Quill challenge, right now. It's everything the students are talking about. For most of them, it's entertainment. Not for Kenneth. He takes this very seriously, which is why he wants to call off the whole thing. He's being reasonable, and that's not a way to get the support of a school full of teenagers."

"That's stupid," said Ian.

"As I said, they're teenagers," said Alexander, with a cunning smile.

"How were you, when you were that age?" asked Ian.

"I was probably more like Rob Drakefang than like Kenneth, I'll admit," said his teacher. "But then again, I was busy with my special lessons, so I wasn't that involved in the student's business."

Ian could see the truth of what Alexander had said right before their eyes. These jerks were all acting like they were about to see some good sports.

He couldn't take any more. He made a step forward and faced the Slytherins, fourth years for most of them.

"Stop that immediately! Kenneth isn't a coward!" he shouted.

"Look at that! Of course, look who comes to the rescue of the coward! The freak! Same bunch of losers the both of them," said one tall sixth year, which made a lot of his younger friends laugh nastily.

Ian felt anger sweep any other feeling inside of him. He shot a withering look to the group of students.

"I said SHUT UP!" he roared.

And with his shout, the walls trembled. The laughter faded immediately. They were all looking at Ian with clear terror in their eyes. The sixth year, clearly the leader, gave the signal to the others and they all flee like spooked animals. But none of them was more frightened than Ian himself. He was fighting to recover his calm. With long deep breaths, he was feeling his mind returning to a more peaceful mood.

Joel whistled appreciatively.

"Remind me never to cross you, Ian," he said with a smile. "Still I like your style."

"Trouble is," said Ian, "that I didn't control that."

Joel looked at him in total disbelief.

"Wow," he whispered. "You should speak with Alexander."

"Yeah," said Ian. "I guess so."

All these news incidents were beginning to worry him. Never before, his only mood had an effect on the surroundings. And now, he just had to get angry to make the Castle shake, and shattered the windows of a whole floor? What would it be next?

Donahue was still parading in the Hall when Kenneth walked back into the Castle. Night was starting to fall, outside. To see him playing the hero for Slytherins and even two Gryffindor girls, made him furious. But he chose to let it pass.

"Ah! Here he is!" said Anton, Donahue's best friend. "The hero of the day. The one who will bring our House some fun as well as some respect, by meeting his fate under Robert's wand."

Kenneth just looked at them, focusing on Robert.

"What respect do you think you will win?" he finally asked. "Just because you play adult games won't make you one."

"How very philosophical of you, _Heart of a lion_," said Donahue. "But still I'm not the one who tries to flee my duty."

"But this duel is none of your duty, Donahue," hissed Kenneth. "It's nothing more than showing off. Maybe you'll need a lesson, after all."

"And who would give it to me, _Heart of a lion_? You?" said Donahue, sneering. "Apparently, you don't seem to have the guts to defend your pride and honour, since you try to avoid that duel so badly. You think I have to fear some lousy coward like you?"

Kenneth suddenly stiffened, and his face went ice cold. And Potter's words came to ring in his mind. It was true. There was no reason, Kenneth was to be the one to suffer from this. And maybe it was time to shut them all up.

Everyone in the corridor seemed to notice the change, even Donahue, as if the temperature had dropped several degrees in a minute. Some even made a step back. Kenneth walked straight at Donahue and gripped his collar, pulling him close to his face. His eyes were now like two slits, and cold like polar ice.

"Alright, since you seem to want it that bad, so you can parade in front of the whole school, you've got yourself a duel, Donahue. I'll see you tomorrow," he said, his voice as cutting as a knife. "But don't say you didn't ask for it, when I'm through with you."

He wasn't trying to be impressive. He was warning him. Donahue seemed to be affected by Kenneth's look. Kenneth let go of him, and strode away, without looking back. But he wasn't running away anymore.

Donahue seemed to recover his senses, after that.

"Well, finally, he's showing some nerve," he said, smirking. "I was afraid I would have to fight a carpet. But still I'll wipe him out."

He was getting all confident again. His supporters were cheering, as Kenneth was walking away.

_Alright,_ thought Kenneth. _See you tomorrow. We'll see what you can handle …_

He walked suddenly into Julie, as he was heading for the Gryffindor Tower. She seemed pretty upset with something. Hopefully, it had nothing to do with him. He tried not to look too angry. But when Julie noticed him, she frowned.

"Kenneth," she called at him.

He stopped to wait for her to join him.

"I heard you were refusing the duel," she said, reproachfully. "I wouldn't have thought you to be the kind of guy who steps back from his responsibility."

"But I can't step back, and so I'll have to meet my fate and face humiliation and blah-blah," said Kenneth bitterly, impersonating Anton's tone. "Does everyone in this damned school have to talk to me about this masquerade?" he spat angrily.

"Don't get so upset with me, Lionheart!" protested Julie. "It's not my fault if you're in this situation. At least you could try to honour your House, by facing the consequences of what you have done. You attacked Robert first."

"Yes, I DID! Happy now?" shouted Kenneth. "He insulted my family and I punched him, because I didn't want to pull my wand against him. And because I'm not an irresponsible git, I'm a coward!"

Julie seemed to be unsettled by his sudden outburst. Kenneth gave her no chance to reply.

"You know what?" he said. "I usually don't care what people think. But I swear that tomorrow, I'll show them all! Donahue thinks he's all grown up with his challenges and his clandestine lousy little fights. He doesn't know _anything_. You don't know _anything_. You all wanted to see a duel, then I'LL SHOW YOU A DUEL!"

He turned away, not even caring for what she wanted to say anymore. He stormed into the Common room, and his look seemed to discourage anyone to talk to him. Kalindra was willing to glare at him, since she was still reproaching him his attitude. She had been hurt that he had blown at them, in the common room. And she was still annoyed that he had gotten in so much trouble over nothing. Kenneth knew that Will and Rob hadn't talked about what they knew about his mother.

"It's not our beans to spill," Will had said. "If you didn't want to tell us, we won't repeat it."

He was grateful to them, in a sense, even if that meant that the girls of his year still saw him as a maniac. He didn't care, right now. His anger was back. He was going to go there in the morning, and teach Donahue some manners, after all.

Tomorrow, he would show them all. And until then, he didn't have anything to say to anyone. If they wanted to support a Slytherin, that was their problem, not his.

He walked to an armchair, sat in front of the fire, without a word. His face must be so cold and closed that soon, all the nearest chairs emptied, as it was clear that he wanted to be alone. He pulled out his wand, and began to turn it between his fingers, without any other move, his eyes fixed on the flames in the fireplace. He was now focusing only on tomorrow.

* * *

Kenneth didn't show up at dinner. When the fifth years walked back in the common room, Kenneth was still sitting in front of the fire, his wand turning between his fingers. His eyes were reflecting the flames. He looked like he was elsewhere. Will tried to speak to him, along with Rob, but they seemed not to be able to get more than three words out of him in a row. They finally gave up and joined the girls in one corner of the room.

"What is with him?" asked Kalindra.

"He's never been more furious in his life," said Will, hotly, but keeping his voice down. "What do you think?"

"Oh, come on," said Kalindra. "He put himself in this situation."

"Oh yeah?" said Will, between his teeth. "You don't know the half of it."

"What?" said Mandy impatiently. "What do you know that you won't tell us?"

"Something we shouldn't even know," said Rob. "If he hadn't been so furious, he wouldn't have let it slip out. We will never break his trust. He has to tell you. But he had the best reasons in the world to punch this worthless git! And now, everyone turns against him because he didn't want to turn it into a duel. Even people from his own House," he said, looking intensely at Jennifer, Julie and Kalindra. "Just because Donahue has some good looks, you turn from your friend. You don't even wonder why he got so mad! You just don't' want to hear him. You just turn your back on him, because he damaged your precious little prince charming!"

"Why doesn't he speak, then?" asked Julie, under her breath, to make sure not to be heard by Kenneth. "And I still think it's stupid to get that upset just for a few insults about his family…"

"Well, he would have spoken, if everyone hadn't started with reproaches when speaking to him these days," said Will. "I can't blame him. He can't be involved in a duel. His father did forbid it to him. This isn't cowardice. He's been raised like this. Why, I don't know. But he's so pissed, right now, that even his father's rule are not enough."

Julie felt uneasy, and the other girls seemed to be a little affected by what he was saying. But Kalindra's face suddenly went very pale.

"Wait a second," she said. "His family? Oh, no," she whispered. "It's not… oh, please, just tell me…"

She suddenly got up, and Julie couldn't understand what had come over her. She saw her go to Kenneth.

For her part, Julie could now understand Kenneth's reaction when she talked to him earlier in the afternoon. He was already furious, and the first thing she had told him was that he was a disgrace for Gryffindor.

_No wonder he got mad. Way to go, Julie. You're an idiot._

Julie saw Kalindra kneel beside Kenneth and whisper something desperately. Kenneth turned an empty look to her. Kalindra whispered some more, and Kenneth nodded. Kalindra gasped and caught both his hands. She went on talking to him, though all the words were lost to Julie. Kenneth whispered back a few words and Kalindra then reached him for a quick hug.

Then she stood up, and joined Julie and Mandy to climb up the stairs. They all prepared for bed and quickly crawled under the blankets. Kalindra resolutely refused to mention anything she could have discussed with Kenneth. But something had happened and Julie could tell that Kalindra was fuming, now.

Two hours later, Julie was awakened by some light under the dormitory's door. She got up silently and walked to it. She pulled it open and saw that the fire was still roaring in the fireplace, in the common room. Closing discretely the door, she walked down the stairs and dared a peak in the large room.

He was there, of course, again rehearsing his moves of the tip of his wand. But this time, the moves were quicker, furious ones. She couldn't help but admire the way he was moving. It was like some curious dance. He hadn't noticed her yet.

"Kenneth?" she asked, walking in the Common Room.

Kenneth didn't answer. He was still focusing on his moves, making three short waves.

"Kenneth, are you alright?"

"You'll see that tomorrow," he said, with a very low voice. "You all wanted to see," he muttered then, more for himself than for her.

"I… I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been so mean…"

Kenneth didn't say anything. This silence was worse than the shouts, for Julie. She sighed deeply, and headed back to the stairs. She walked back to her dorm, and got back in bed. She hugged her pillow, completely distressed. She had the oppressing feeling that she had maybe done something awful by taking sides with Donahue against Kenneth in any circumstances. It was like she had hurt Kenneth. And this thought was terrible for her.

She fought with all her might against the tears, and finally, drifted into another troubled sleep.

_She was breathing with difficulty now. She was forced to slow down her pace. And suddenly, dark hands were seizing her, and pulling her to a strange Altar, made of stone. And before the altar, a tall dark figure was standing, a strange knife in its hand. Julie suddenly saw two eyes open in the darkness of the cloak's hood._

_The madness in those eyes was the most frightening thing she had ever seen in her life._

The dream came to haunt her again, over and over in her mind, until the morning came to free her from it.

* * *

Harry remembered this place. This was the Hall Gilderoy Lockhart once used for the Duelling club he tried to create, which ended up a fiasco. And the stand was the same, with moons and stars marking the spots were wizards were supposed to step on during a traditional duel. Harry was standing on one of the end of the stand, waiting for the two duellists. Facing him, his face closed, Snape wasn't blinking. Harry was even wondering if this duel wasn't some kind of occasion for Snape to confront him in some weird way.

_You're getting paranoid, Harry,_ he told himself.

Around the stand, loads of students were gathering around the teachers. The duel was the event of the season. Other Professors were here too, except that they were here to prevent things to go astray. It was Saturday morning, and the Duel was about to begin. Most of the school was here, but, of course Professor Dumbledore wasn't, Since he had announced that this case was special he wouldn't however give it his support by being a spectator of the duel.

As Harry and Snape had been designated by Dumbledore to be the Judges, it was their task to make sure all was done following the rules.

Robert Donahue entered the Hall, acclaimed by the Slytherins students, some from other Houses and under the dead fish eyes of many girls. Harry rolled his eyes when he saw the way Donahue walked into the room, his short cloak floating around him, clearly showing through his demeanour that he owned the place. He wasn't wearing the colours of Slytherin anymore, except for the badge on his heart. He was dressed in Blue and Silver, with some green sewed over his shoulders, the colours of Clan Donahue. He climbed up the steps leading on the stand, passing by Harry. He looked so self-satisfied, that Harry threw him a dark look.

"You may have gotten the right to call for this duel, but it won't exempt you from detention, Mr. Donahue," he said. "So don't push me."

Donahue seemed to lose some of his assurance. As popular as he was, he couldn't even think of defying a teacher. Harry gestured for him to take his place, on Snape's end of the stand.

The hall then turned to wait for Kenneth's entrance. But as the wait seemed to last, whispers began to be heard in the Hall. Donahue was making moves to his friends, while taking off his cape. Moves saying: "A coward, after all." Some Gryffindors students began to get nervous.

But as the tension was rising, the door opened again, to leave passage to Kenneth. Something had changed in him. His face was closed. And he walked quickly through the crowd, without paying any attention to the absence of cheers from any student. Harry had heard the rumours that Donahue had spread in the school, on Kenneth's cowardice. Thus, many students didn't know what to do. Was it worth supporting someone who wasn't brave enough to face a duel? Harry wondered if he was that stupid, back in school.

_You probably were,_ he thought.

Harry noticed Kenneth's serious expression, and the way he was dressed. He was wearing black robes, with the lion of his clan on the heart, red on gold. They were very sober robes, but quite elegant, with a black cape. Some girls seem to notice the elegancy of his look, and they began to whisper. Harry suppressed a smile.

_Better late than never,_ he told himself.

Without any word, Kenneth walked to the stand. Harry saw Julie Carteret's look, and it was worried. She was following both of the duellists with concern. She clearly had a bad sleep and the tension of the duel wasn't to improve her shape.

Kenneth climbed the steps and faced him.

"Are you ready?" asked Harry.

"Let's get through with this," said Kenneth, with a dark look to Donahue.

Harry nodded. He then noticed one detail of Kenneth dressing. He was wearing a long glove on his right hand that let the fingers free. The glove was going down his forearm to his elbow. And lashed to it, there was a strange sheath, containing his wand.

A sudden thought shot through Harry's mind. He had his answer on Kenneth's knowledge of his family's legacy. Now he was sure the Duel was going to be more interesting than expected. He gave himself the luxury to smile to Snape.

* * *

Julie and her friends were standing close to the stand. There had been a shift in the group though. Since her conversation with Kenneth, Kalindra was now standing next to Rob and Will and she had been supportive of Kenneth as soon as he had made his appearance. An appearance she had never doubted, as well. Julie realised that somehow, Kalindra had understood Kenneth's reason for his punching of Robert, and she was backing her friend. That felt weird. When Kalindra had been disapproving of Kenneth's attitude, since she was his closest friend, Julie had been more secure about her own support of Robert. Now that Kalindra had turned her back on the Slytherin prefect, she wasn't so certain her stance was the good one.

Julie couldn't get over the impression that she was tied between the two duellists. Donahue was smiling to her, still pretty sure of himself. Kenneth wasn't moving, standing very stiff near Professor Potter. He still wore the same expression than the day before, in the Common room. And he had proved the Slytherins to be liars as he was here. Julie saw the arm-sheath for his wand, around his forearm. She suddenly felt as if she had been stunned. It was looking so close to the one she had seen on her Great Uncle once. During another...

"What is it, Julie?" asked Jennifer, worrying for her friend when she saw her look and heard her gasp.

"He's been trained…" said Julie, with a smile. "Kenneth's been trained to duel before."

"What does that change?" asked Mandy, who looked very concerned about Kenneth, now. "Donahue always talks about his victories in all these duels. He must have been trained too."

"Not like this," said Julie, who was beginning to suspect something even bigger than just Kenneth being braver that everyone thought.

* * *

Ian saw the two duellists walk to the middle of the stand to face each other. Donahue pulled out his wand with an elegant move of the wrist. He made some wave, and some sparkles got out of the tip of his wand. He then held up his wand before his face, to salute his opponent. He was greeted by some cheers and some girls sighed admiringly.

"You're already beaten, Lionheart," he said.

Kenneth made one quick move of his hand, and when he held it up to his face, everyone saw that his wand was ready. Silence fell on the Hall. It wasn't what they expected. Even Snape raised one eyebrow. Kenneth wasn't supposed to be so accurate in his moves, so… impressive. He was supposed to be the weak one. But at no time he seemed to be afraid. He saluted.

"We'll see," he said, between his teeth.

He then slashed his wand through the air, and it traced a letter in the air, in fire. A capital "L". He then turned his back to Donahue, who was still under the surprise, and joined Professor Potter at his end of the stand. He took his position, and waited for Donahue to join Snape. The judges then made three steps behind, and stepped down of the stand. Donahue seemed to have gained back his confidence.

"On your guard, wizards," said Snape coolly.

Donahue took his guard with an elaborate move that Ian found very impressive. Kenneth just balanced his arm, made three waves and extended it, his wand straight in his hand. In some strange way, Ian was even more impressed by this guard. He began to think that something strange was going on.

Donahue smiled.

"At least you don't pretend to know your guards," sneered Donahue.

Ian repressed yet another wave of annoyance at the prefect.

"Let's see what the coward can do, shall we?" said Donahue, with another smile, saluted by a few whistles and whoops by his cronies.

"Oh, shut up, you idiot," muttered Kieran with a smile. "You have no idea what's going to hit you."

Ian turned to her, with a surprised look.

"I've done a little research," said Kieran.

"No way!" said Terry, grinning.

"Sod off, Longwand," said Kieran, without looking any of her composure. "And I found something very interesting about Kenneth. I think this is going to be fun."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Ian.

"Watch and enjoy, Ian," said Kieran.

* * *

"Wands at the ready," said Harry, raising his hand, seeing Snape mirror his move, as it was customary.

The two fighters seemed to draw the same breath.

"Begin," said Snape, lowering his hand swiftly.

Kenneth and Donahue started to duel, each shouting spells and jinxes at the other, either in silence or with a loud voice. Sparks were flying everywhere. Harry had to admit, no matter how revolting the whole set up was, this was exciting to see a duel that wouldn't end in death and in which he could focus truly on the technique of the participants.

It pained Harry to admit this as well, but Donahue was a very competent duellist, with flair, style and efficiency in his moves. His incantations were spot on and each spell was a very sharp weapon send at his opponent.

But as strong as Donahue actually was, what amazed Harry was the way Kenneth moved. He was using magic with quick, very slick moves, his words calm and precise. While Donahue was making the best of the situation by showing off for the benefit of the crowd, Kenneth was simply focused on the fight. And so far, they were balanced perfectly. It seemed that the duel was facing a dead end.

There was a first break in the confrontation, as it was customary. The spells ended and the two duellists lowered their wands. Donahue was still jumping slightly on the spot, keeping his body on the move, a smile on his face.

"I'll give you that, Lionheart, you're better than I thought," he said. "That won't be enough, though. Sorry for what's about to happen to you."

"Oh, shut up, Donahue," said Kenneth. "You think you're here to play for the audience?"

"I don't know, you haven't given me anything to worry about, until now, have you?" retorted Donahue, with a smile that made a few girls sigh in admiration.

Harry rolled his eyes, but Donahue had a point. So far, he had been acting as if warming up while Kenneth had been completely into the fight. He was starting to wonder if he hadn't misjudged the Lionheart boy.

Kenneth's eyes suddenly narrowed. His mouth suddenly twisted into a grin that made a few eyebrows in the crowd shoot up.

"Ok," he said. "But then again, you asked for it."

And he stretched his neck a little, before to drop his cape on the side of the stand. His whole demeanour seemed to shift in a second. His posture was different. He wasn't a fifteen year old boy caught in a duel against his will anymore. His grip on his wand changed as well, as he now held it like a sword.

Harry had a sudden inspiration and he knew that he had been right all along. Playtime was over. His smile widened, which seemed to annoy Snape.

* * *

Kenneth's mind had turned ice cold. Now, it wasn't about defeating Donahue, anymore. That was actually a given. The question was how bad Donahue would be defeated. They had wanted to see what he was made of? Then it was time to drop the pretence. Donahue had just picked the absolute wrong guy to mess with, and Kenneth was about to educate the jerk.

Stretching his neck once more, Kenneth made a half step on the right, shifted his weight on his feet.

Slowly, he made his wand trace a line, and it left a burning trace scorching the air. His eyes fell on Donahue, who lost somehow his assurance at this moment. Pointing his wand at the Slytherin Prefect, Kenneth smiled again.

"Let's dance, you and I," said Kenneth.

Donahue resumed his guard. Kenneth exchanged a long look with Professor Potter and he nodded. He turned back to Donahue.

_Alright, you jerk, let's see you handle this,_ he thought.

* * *

"Wands at the ready," announced Potter once more.

When he lowered his hand, Kenneth moved immediately and then everything went crazy. Robert tried to resume the duel like before, but his first disarming spell exploded in the air before Kenneth's extended wand.

Julie was astonished. Kenneth wasn't casting spells. He just moved like she had seen him in the deserted common room, with this curious grace that had mesmerized her. But he was anything but slow, now. His arms were like in a blur.

"_Stupefy_!" shouted Robert, trying to block his opponent.

Kenneth didn't counter by the shielding charm. Instead, his wand traced a line of fire in the air and he seemed to stab at the incoming spell, making it explode. He retaliated by a few moves that looked like stabs at an invisible opponent and suddenly Robert was thrown high into the air, with a grunt of pain, before he landed roughly at the feet of Professor Snape. He struggled to his feet and tried another attack.

"_Everte Statum_!"

Kenneth only slashed his wand and seemed to cut through the knocking spell, making three steps in Donahue's direction. He darted his wand toward the ceiling and it looked like Donahue had been caught by some very powerful uppercut, his feet leaving the floor again and pushing him back. Kenneth only resumed his guard and made three little jump back, his wand ready as Donahue was trying to regain his balance.

Julie wasn't only astonished. She was a little scared, now, because she had finally understood what Kenneth had been hiding.

"Oh, Merlin!" she gasped. "_Un mage-guerre (*)_!"

"What?" said Jennifer, beside her.

"Robert doesn't stand a chance," said Julie, her voice failing her.

"What are you talking about?" said Jennifer.

"Kenneth hasn't been trained to duel!" exclaimed Julie. "He's born for this!"

"Uh?" said Will. "What does that mean?"

"Who cares?" said Rob, grinning wildly. "He's wiping the floor with Donahue, now, that's all that matters."

"Come on, Kenneth, finish the jerk," said Kalindra, looking curiously fierce.

"You don't understand!" said Julie. "We got it all wrong! Kenneth doesn't refuse the fight because he's afraid to lose. He refuses the fight because he could very well kill Robert, right now."

"What?" said Jennifer, her eyes popping out of her head.

* * *

"_Tarantallegra_!" shouted Donahue, only to see his spell being countered once more.

This time he lost his self control.

"Somebody's helping him!" he roared, pointing at Kenneth.

Silence fell over the hall, as Kenneth only replied with the same threatening smile. Harry stepped up.

"Nobody has been helping Mr Lionheart," he said, very seriously. "You've been told to stay silent out of the breaks in the duel."

Donahue clenched his teeth and raised his wand for another spell. This time, he went for a quick binding spell, a clever move. But it was ruined when Kenneth just seemed to deflect it by a punch with his wand hand. The spell went out of the stand and was about to hit another student, when Kenneth made three waves and the energy gathered again, at the tip of his wand. He sent another piercing look at Donahue and with a turn of his wrist, sent beck the spell straight at the Slytherin. Donahue had barely the time to summon a shield to dissipate the spell.

Harry had to admit he had never seen anything like this in a Hogwarts student, and not even during the war. The only person he had ever seen fighting like this had been Sarah. To think of the raven haired Auror whom Harry had known during the war once more infuriated him. It wasn't unbiased of him, but to think that Donahue had insulted Sarah Lionheart's memory and accused her cowardice… that was too much for him.

_Do me a favour, Kenneth and give the scum some for me, while you're at it,_ he allowed himself to think.

He exchanged a look with Snape and he saw that the head of Slytherin was slightly shocked. It seemed he was intensely thinking, as if readjusting his way of looking at Kenneth. Harry allowed himself another little smile. So much for this "Gryffindor weak boy" theory.

Kenneth deflected three new attacks the same way he had parried the binding curse. His last block was linked with a sudden move that looked like fencing lunge. He then swirled his wand with a wrist move that created a familiar light of sparks. He had just disarmed Donahue. The Prefect's wand flew to Kenneth's free hand and he snatched it from the air. He regained his posture from earlier, holding out both wands, Donahue's tip aimed at the stands.

This was a classical situation in a duel. When one opponent was disarmed, the armed wizard had the right to finish the disarmed, to spare him, or he could choose to give back the wand to resume the duel, but having scored a clear advantage. A disarming also called a break in a duel, so Kenneth and Donahue were again allowed to speak.

"But… how… how can he do this?" protested Donahue. "His moves are gibberish! He must be cheating!"

"Please, Mr Donahue, don't make a fool of yourself," said Snape, icily.

Donahue clearly didn't expect such a reprimand from his Head of House. Harry smiled again.

"To answer your question, Mr Donahue," he said. "Not only Mr Lionheart isn't cheating, but if you can't figure out how he performs his magic, then it just shows one thing. You don't have the wits to pick up your fights. One does not challenge a Lionheart lightly in a duel. That's common knowledge among those who claim to be practiced in wizard duelling. I would have expected you to study your opponent a little more before to claim early victory. Now, Mr Lionheart, do you wish to end the duel?"

Kenneth turned to him and Harry could see the faintest flash of childish satisfaction in his eyes, which was quickly repressed. Harry could only imagine what humiliation a son of the Clan Lionheart had had to swallow, in order to preserve the legendary patience and self-control of his family. There was a small part of Kenneth that still relished in his performance of today.

Kenneth shook his head. He tossed his wand back to Donahue.

"Now," he said, mimicking Donahue's tone before the duel. "_Let's see what the coward can do, shall we_? You're ready?"

Donahue, in a show of nerve even Harry had to acknowledge, raised his guard once more and nodded.

Kenneth moved, this time running toward Donahue, blasting the Slytherin's jinxes out of his way. He nearly plunged at Donahue's feet, but stopped his momentum in a second, wand with a curious wave of his wand, pointed it upward. Donahue was suddenly stopped in his movement, a trace of fear evident in his eyes. And then everything exploded in light. Donahue was sent up toward the ceiling like a green an blue rocket. Kenneth stood back up and with his wand traced a curious figure in the air. The figure lingered, in light and then expanded to ascend in the hall, meeting Donahue on his way down. Another flash of light and everyone had to cover their eyes.

* * *

Ian blinked to chase the tears from the blinding light. What he saw made him gasp in shock.

Donahue was stranded in the air, head down, as he was caught in something that looked a lot like a net made of light. He was searching desperately for his wand, but Ian saw that it was back in Kenneth's hand. The Gryffindor boy walked calmly to his opponent and looked him up and down.

"Well," he said. "I guess I win, then. Don't you agree?"

Donahue threw a withering look at him. Kenneth darted his wand at the ceiling and Donahue suddenly sped up to the roof, almost going through the magical sky that was there. He fell back at break neck speed, to pause right in front of Kenneth. But Donahue's scream of terror didn't pause just then.

"I said _don't you agree_?" shouted Kenneth.

"Yes!" exclaimed Donahue, under clear panic, now.

"Good," said Kenneth. "Now, next time you want to defile my mother's name, just remember the coward who made you squeal like a girl. Professor Potter said one does not challenge a Lionheart lightly. I'll make it clearer for you: one does _NOT_ challenge a Lionheart _AT ALL_. Next time you try, I could get angry… and you don't want that."

He turned Donahue's wand in his hand pointing both tips like his arms were part of a cross.

"You lose, end of the lesson," he said.

With a cutting move that looked like a conductor ending the music from an orchestra, Kenneth slashed the air with both wands and a loud crack echoed under the ceiling as Donahue was thrown on the floor. When the commotion ceased, he was lying there, stunned, his nose apparently broken.

The hall exploded in cheers but it died out as soon as Kenneth turned deadly eyes to the crowd. Clearly he didn't want to be cheered on. He dropped Donahue's wand on the stunned Slytherin and walked to his end of the stand, facing Professor Potter. Potter exchanged a few words with him, and Kenneth nodded. Potter smiled widely and shook hands with the victor, before to step aside and clear his way off the stands. A small crowd had started to gather at the bottom of it but it parted when it saw the look in Kenneth's eyes. The pony-tailed boy strode out of the Hall, his cloak over his shoulder, re-sheathing his wand in the holster on his wrist. As soon as he was out of view, the Gryffindors who had supported Kenneth resumed their cheering. Ian caught a few dark looks in his direction, as many had bet on Donahue, and they now owed him money.

Snape walked to Donahue and his eyes showed a trace of shock.

"Eight different spells in one move, that's impossible," said the Potions Master.

"Not for a Lionheart," said Potter, as he moved to help the Head of Slytherin to unfreeze Donahue.

The crowd slowly made their way out of the Hall. Ian had to give up trying to hear what the two teachers were saying. It was lost in the cacophony of the students' chatting. There were a few people coming to him, handing him begrudgingly the coins they owed him after their bet had turned out to be lost. The odds had been against Kenneth and so Ian was quite sure he would make a rather impressive profit out of it. He wasn't the only one to have a triumph. And it reminded Ian about something.

"Aha! I knew it!" exclaimed Kieran. "That was brilliant. And everyone was there, believing that the duel was won for Donahue. If they had studied a little, they would have known better. What?"

Ian was staring at her, shock and a slight annoyance clear in his eyes.

"You had information on the duel's outcome and you didn't share," he said, scandalized. "K, I had money on this. I was leading the betting pool! You could have warned me you had info on this."

"Well, first, it's not a good idea to bet on that sort of thing," said Kieran. "You had money on it… Who did you bet on?" asked Kieran.

"Kenneth," said Ian.

"Then you'll get your money back," said Kieran, confused. "What are you complaining about?"

She must have seen the look on his face, for she frowned a little more.

"What?" she exclaimed.

"The odds!" said Ian. "If you knew for sure that Kenneth was going to win, you should have told me! I could have raised the odds!"

"I'm just going to pretend I didn't hear that one," said Kieran, rolling her eyes.

Ian had a toothy grin.

"Anyway, how did he do this?" asked Joel, still astonished by Kenneth's performance.

"In fact, Kenneth's family is very secretive about this, but to those who know where to look, they can be seen as living legends," said Kieran.

"What do you mean?" asked Ian.

"Clan Lionheart is a legendary bloodline of Wandmasters," said Kieran.

Ian was shocked by that.

"Wandmasters? But I could have made insane odds on that one!" he said, feigning despair.

He dodged a slap on the back of his head from Kieran, laughing.

"Vulture," scoffed the young girl.

* * *

_(*)Mage-guerre is the French term for Wandmaster, made up by me, of course..._


	10. The Wandmaster of Hogwarts

_A/N: Okay, I'm publishing this one, and I hope I'll be able to put up another in the week, but after that, I'll be leaving on a vacation where I will have no access to Internet Whatsoever, so this may be the last update until September. Thanks to all the readers out there, and I hope to see you therewhen I get back._**  
**

* * *

**The Wandmaster of Hogwarts**

* * *

The wildest rumours started to spread in the school as soon as the dust from the duel had settled, without any of Ian's help, this time. Kenneth's secret was out in the open, and the real nature of the duel was widely known. Kenneth's aura had changed as well. From a discrete Gryffindor whose biggest achievement so far had been to push a friend out of a fireball's way, back in fourth year, he was now something else entirely. Many people knew what to make of he moves they had seen during the fight. Some even finally made the connection between Kenneth's name and the famous Clan Lionheart, but whatever the way it had been discovered, the fact was clear. There was a Wandmaster in the school.

And, as a consequence, a few students had to be explained what a Wandmaster was. Ian had heard of it, for instance, but Joel, being a muggleborn, wasn't familiar with them.

Of course the subject was discussed at lunch. If you hadn't heard of it, by now, you had to live elsewhere. The tables all felt free to discuss the issue, since neither Kenneth, Julie nor Donahue was anywhere near the Great Hall. Slytherins were complaining that the duel had been biased, since Kenneth ad hidden this advantage. Hufflepuffs were wondering why Kenneth had been so merciful in his way of ending the fight. Gryffindors were so proud of their winner that Will Tyler was threatening to compose a saga in honour of Kenneth Lionheart. And, no mistake, Ravenclaws were discussing History and theory of the Wand Mastery and their practitioners. Joel was getting a private lesson from Kieran, in Ian's year.

"You know how in sixth year, we will learn how to cast spells without the incantations?" she said.

Joel nodded.

"It's easier for duels or if you need to react quickly. But it takes talent, right?" he said.

"Well, the Wand Mastery works like that," said Kieran. "It was discovered way back in the Dark Ages, when most of Europe was terrorized by a Dark Wizard called Kheben. He was a Vampire as well, and so far, no one had been able to oppose him. Then a man, whose village had been slaughtered by Kheben's troops, rose to the challenge. He was a Viking by the name of Sven Thorsen. And he was born mute."

"Huh? How could he even cast spells?" asked Joel.

"He had a gift," said Kieran. "He had a very deep connection to his wand. The wand feels the intent of its owner and produces the effects. Sven only added moves to boost the effect, direct it, shift it, etc. he was the greatest fighter of the Age. He recruited other like him, who had been mocked and outcast, because they were using magic unlike any other. They formed The Allliance of the Wand, the first Clan of Wandmaster. They fought back against Kheben's cabal and they destroyed them utterly. Sven was the one to finish off Kheben, ending the age of terror. Manye wizards and muggles offered him power and riches, but he refused, because he had fought Kheben out of revenge and for principles. They, however, established a tradition of the Wandmasters that is legendary to this day."

"But they're not famous," said Joel.

"They choose not to be," said Ian. "They have created a code, a very strict set of values, that they must follow. They will step in when the fight s justified, but otherwise, they will not use their gift to get any kind of favour. It's central to the lives of the clans. Most codes vary with the Clans, but they all come from the code of the Alliance. Any wizard from a clan that would break the code would be hunted down by his own kind."

"But you said they don't speak when casting spells," said Joel. "I've seen Kenneth cast spells the usual way."

"Because their code also says that they mustn't use their gift for mundane uses," said Kieran. "It's a gift to use in a fight, or if the need is strong enough. It's a question of not abusing it."

"So Kenneth is one of them?" asked Joel.

"Yes," said Kieran. "You see, this is a gift that is passed through blood. New Wandmasters can appear among muggle-borns, but if they are Wandmasters, their children will be, too. Entire bloodlines have formed clans throughout Europe. They aren't too many, but some families are quite large. And their tradition is to take in any new Wandmaster, to teach them the values of the Code. A new Wandmaster, is taken in, taught, and then he's free to create a clan of his own. What they learn is the rules and the code. The knowledge of the gift itself is instinctive in most of them. The Lionheart family has a tradition of Wandmasters that go back to the days of Merlin himself. They have been involved with all the major Wars the Wizarding world has known. The War of the Unicorn, the uprising in Goro, in the 17th century, the War with Grindelwald, and the two wars against Voldemort. Their family produces more Aurors than any clan in England. And I can tell you that Kenneth is exceptional on many levels, actually."

"Why is that?" asked Ian.

"Because his father, Lancelot Lionheart, is a direct descendant of the first Wandmaster of the Clan, according to the book I read. And he married a Wandmaster that was a muggle-born, so she was the first of a new line. She had manifested at seventeen, while most of them develop their gift in their late twenties. You've seen that ponytail Kenneth carries, these days? It means his gift has awakened. And he's only fifteen. He's the first to manifest so early in decades."

"Wow," said Joel.

"And I know why Kenneth got so mad about his family, as well," said Kieran, more sadly, this time.

* * *

"I can't believe the bastard called Kenneth's mom a coward," said hissed Kalindra, almost to herself, but Will and Roby heard her well.

They ad been the first to settle at the lunch table, while wondering where Kenneth was. Kalindra was still fuming, despite her relief to have seen Kenneth win the duel without any wound on his side.

"So you know about his mother, then?" asked Rob.

"Yeah," said Kalindra, darkly. "Had I known it was about that, I would have punched the git myself," she added, still feeling lousy after failing her friend that way.

She had been feeling worse with each minute since she had gone to him in the Common room, seized by the fear that it had all been about the only subject her friend was hurting about. It had been a very short exchange. She had seized his hand and asked: "Is all of this about your Mum?". When he had nodded, all of her certainties had crumbled down. She had realised that Donahue had somehow screwed with her head, if she had taken sides with him against Kenneth. She was supposed to be his best friend, for Merlin's sake. She sure wasn't proud of her attitude. Donahue had lost all his charm, by now. She was Kenneth's friend, she would start to act accordingly again.

"Merlin, what a relief," said Will. "Rob and I were dying for you girls to see the truth."

"The truth about what?" asked Jennifer, joining them at the table.

Only silence met her question. She pressed on, nonetheless.

"Oh, come on," she said. "I've seen that Kenneth was anything but a coward this morning. So what is that reason that made him lose it?"

"Yeah," said Mandy, who sat beside Kallie. "I mean, I know Kenneth. This had to be important, but what was it about?"

"You can't ever mention that to him, you hear me?" said Kalindra, coming to a decision.

They all nodded. Teddy Cage, Marion Sweeney and Anthony Fields had joined them.

"Kenneth chose not to speak about this," said Kalindra, looking over her shoulder to make sure no one was listening too closely, "but his mother died when he was seven."

"Oh, no!" gasped Jennifer, her hand going to her mouth in shock.

"Aw, bugger!" exclaimed Mandy. "So Donahue..."

"He called her a coward, but she was fighting in the Second War, when she was killed," Kallie went on. "In fact, she was covering the retreat of many members of the Order. She fought off twenty Death Eaters on her own. She defeated them all. And then she faced Voldemort herself. It took that son of a lich to kill her. She's a freaking hero, and Donahue just spat on her memory. Kenneth is very patient, but he worships his mother's memory. That was the one insult Donahue shouldn't have used."

"What I don't understand is why Kenneth hid the fact he's a Wandmaster," said Jennifer.

"Beats me," said Kalindra, who had been as surprised as the others. "I knew his family has a lot of them, but I had no idea that he had manifested his Wand Mastery. That was impressive."

"What's impressive is that he didn't blast Donahue to ashes," noted Rob, to everyone's approval.

* * *

"I'm going to repeat myself, but I was highly impressed by your restraint, Kenneth," said Harry, with an open smile.

Kenneth smiled back a little shyly. Harry had arranged a short lunch in his office, since Kenneth didn't want to be the centre of attention just yet, which Harry could perfectly understand. Harry had seized the occasion to review the duel with him, on the technical level. It was fascinating to analyse the moves the young boy had used during the fight.

"How did you come across the idea for the Phantom Snare in which you caught Mr. Donahue?" he asked at some point.

"From the books my father has in his study," said Kenneth. "He showed me the way to alter it, so that it doesn't shock your opponent, like it's supposed to."

"A very sensible alteration," said Harry. "Has Lancelot by any chance found a way to translate this in the original spell?"

Kenneth seemed startled.

"You' can't expect a Defence teacher not to care about this kind of things," said Harry with a grin. "It's my job to keep up with the innovations."

Kenneth smiled, finding his assurance again.

"I'll owl him the question, if you want," he said.

"I'd appreciate it," said Harry. "Now that this business is over..."

"Well, I still have a detention to serve," said Kenneth.

"Uh? Oh, your summoning to Professor Dumbledore's office? I guess this is more for the Headmaster to ensure that no revenge will be attempted after the duel. Given your clear victory, I guess we don't have to worry about Donahue feeling bold enough to try again."

Kenneth seemed uncomfortable. Harry decided he had to help boost this kid's self-confidence.

"Kenneth," he said. "I think I told you already that everyone in the staff knew your mother during the war. I'll be more specific. I met her during my sixth year in Hogwarts. She was sent to protect me, during my transfer from my home to the school. I don't claim I was close to her, but she impressed me, both by her skill and her dedication. And when I enlisted in the Order, she was among the first to report to me. I have grown to know most of the members of the Order of the Phoenix, and I valued my friendship with them. Lancelot, Sarah, your cousin Sonia, they were all examples for the Order. And When Sarah was killed by Voldemort, I was hit very hard. We all were. Even professor Snape was shocked by the insult, when he heard of it. I imagine the reason why he put such pressure on you is that he expects a lot from Sarah's son. My point is that if Robert Donahue is oblivious of your family's deeds, we are not. I owe a personal debt to all of the members of the Order who fought in the war. Your parents have been a tremendous help for me in the war. I am not going to punish you for defending the memory of the fallen. If Mr. Donahue thinks it is unfair, I will be glad to educate him on the price of war and the respect owed to its heroes."

Harry saw that his words had hit the mark. Kenneth's discomfort seemed to evaporate, and at last, Harry could see a trace of pride in his eyes. It didn't last long, though and soon, Kenneth only looked more serene, although a distinct sadness still shone in his eyes. A sadness that Harry was all too familiar with. He knew why he felt this kinship with the boy. They had both lost family to the war and they both knew of the harshness of the world. But Kenneth was still a boy, despite his apparent maturity.

Harry bent over his desk with a knowing smile.

"Now, between you and me," he said, "how did it feel to waste the peacock's face?"

Kenneth's smile turned into a nervous chuckle.

"It felt pretty good, Sir," he admitted.

"I thought so," said Harry. "Now I've got an offer for you."

"I'm all ears, Sir," said the boy, starting to relax.

"I've set up practical lessons with the student of sixth an seventh year," said Harry. "I would like you to join them."

"I can't," said Kenneth, immediately.

"Kenneth," said Harry, on a patient tone. "We both know that you can defeat nearly everyone I this Castle and that includes some of the staff, as well. Why wouldn't you be able to...?"

"It's not about that," said Kenneth, very seriously. "That would be accepting a special treatment from other students, only because of my gift. That's against our Code."

Harry nodded. That, for once, made sense. Lancelot had told him about that Code and Harry knew that it was very serious for the Lionhearts.

"I'll accept that," he said. "But as soon as you're of age to get in those practical groups, I won't take no for an answer."

"As soon as I get in sixth year, Sir," said Kenneth, grinning.

It was a smile that reminded him very much of his father, though there were touches her and there that told Harry that Kenneth was beyond any doubt, Sarah's son.

* * *

When Kenneth walked out of Professor Potter's office, as the afternoon was coming to an end, he felt loads better. The way the teacher had presented things, he realised that he had support in the school, more than he would have guessed. It somehow made him feel justified. He had allowed himself a short measure of triumph after kicking Donahue's arse, though he had soon suppressed it. But non one would ever call him a coward again. That was satisfying.

Kenneth made his way to the Gryffindor Tower. The fat lady greeted him with a warm smile.

"Had a busy morning, haven't you?" she said.

"You would say that," said Kenneth. "Dragon's Tail."

"Right" said the painting, swinging on it's hinges.

When he entered the Common Room, he was greeted by a thunderous cheer from the whole place. He was pulled inside and welcomed with friendly slaps on his back or enthusiastic handshakes. Riana, the Captain of the Quidditch team, went as far as hugging him in celebration.

"That was awesome, Lionheart," she said. "I don't care what the hourglasses say. We have the advantage in the Cup, this year, because they know that you can't mess with Gryffindors."

Another cheer rose in response. Kenneth reluctantly admitted that kind of liked that recognition. Once again, he allowed a little childish triumph to slip through his countenance, but not for long.

He declined the offer of starting a party right on the spot and instead he joined Kalindra and the others, who had settled near the fireplace. He noticed that Julie wasn't here and felt a pang of annoyance at the idea that she was at his bedside, nursing his wounds. Will and Rob stood up at his approach and high fived him. Kalindra stood up and hugged him.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered in his ear.

"For what?" asked Kenneth, surprised.

"For not backing you up," said Kalindra. "That's my job, usually. I feel like a traitor, since I understood what it was about."

"It's okay," said Kenneth. "I didn't want to talk about it. Maybe I should have..."

Kalindra let go of him and a guilty wince.

"A lot of people have heard of the truth," she said. "I had to explain to the guys here, but others have done some research. And now, many people are whispering about your mother."

"Let them talk," said Kenneth. "I'm proud of my Mum. I just didn't want to be pitied by anyone. If everyone is talking about my mom, well, I don't care. She was a hero, end of story."

He sat down with the group and Jennifer had a shy smile.

"I owe you an apology as well," she said. "I was awful to you, and I should have been supportive of a House-mate and a friend."

"Don't worry," said Kenneth. "I got all the vindication I needed during the duel. Anyway, I'm starving. Isn't it time for dinner, now?"

"Spoken like a true Gryffindor," said Will, smiling in approval. "Let's go celebrate by eating!"

They all headed for the Great Hall, joined on the way by many students, from various Houses. Kenneth caught different looks. Wheezing past them at some point, Terry Longwand came to a sliding halt and walked back to them to bump fists with Kenneth, with a toothy grin. As they passed the threshold of the Hall, Kenneth saw Ian in the distance wave and give him the thumbs up. Kenneth saw another student walk to Ian with a gloomy expression and give him a few coins. Ian winked at Kenneth once more, and he realised that the Ravenclaw boy must have bet on him, against very big odds... He smiled at the idea that he had made his younger friend rich.

Many eyes were drifting to him as he was settling at the Gryffindor table, some with curiosity, some with admiration, and even some with dread. Apparently, a few people that had supported Donahue in his harassment of Kenneth were starting to realise they had picked the wrong guy to mess with.

There was no sign of Donahue. Just as well, thought Kenneth.

Now that the day was nearly over, he was starting to feel better. There was only one thing left to be resolved and Kenneth was dreading it a little.

And, as if on cue, a Screech Owl landed in front of him. Kenneth winced. He knew the bird, of course.

"Hello, Gawain," he said sweetly, stroking the feathers of the bird, who gave him a greeting hoot. "You've got mail for me, buddy?"

Gawain offered a talon and Kenneth took the letter from the claws of his family owl.

"Whose is this from?" asked Will.

"My Dad," said Kenneth, a little uncertain.

Jennifer winced, too. Will gave Kenneth a serious look.

"You don't expect him to be mad at you, do you?" he said. "There's no way! You've done everything you could to avoid this! It wasn't your fault."

"That all depends on what version of the story he got," said Kenneth. "Snape was pretty pissed, for example."

He unfolded the parchment and began to read.

_Kenneth,_

_I had word of what happened by your House Head. She explained what has led you to this duel. I want to tell you that I understand your reasons. You were right to defend the memory of your mother. But the most important thing is that I'm proud that you tried to defend it with your fists instead of your wand. That's what people like us are supposed to do. This was the right way to treat your gifts, not to use them in a school fight. _

_It's a pity that you were forced to participate to this duel, but I really expected you to win. Again, your House Head explained me how it went. I must insist again that I'm proud of the way you dealt with this Robert Donahue. So you don't have to worry. At no time you did anything wrong._

_I realised that I may have led you to believe that you had to hide what you were. It's not the case. You can be proud of your legacy, your tradition, and your gift. You're not supposed to abuse them, but there is no reason for a Gryffindor to be forced to back out from a fight, just because he will surely win it. As long as your Gift is left uninvolved, you don't have to hesitate to defend yourself. If I had to list all the school fights your mother was caught into, in her years here, that would only be topped by the numbers of fights I was involved in. So be proud of being a Wandmaster, and don't let Slytherins step on your toes. Just keep being careful as you have been until now. The Gift is for serious fights for serious causes. But we need to embrace it._

_Again, I'm very proud of you, my son._

_I love you, _

_Dad_

Kenneth let out a little sigh of relief. Will came over his shoulder to look at the letter.

"See? I've told you he wouldn't be mad at you for defending yourself! You should be more confident, Kenny," said Will.

"I do not think it wise for you to call him 'Kenny', now that you know what he can do with a wand, William," supplied Jennifer from across the table.

She smiled friendly to Kenneth, as Will was jumping away from Kenneth, feigning pure and abject terror.

"You wouldn't do that, would you?" he protested, falling on his knees. "Please, please, please, my master! I beg you to spare my life! Spare me and I will serve you faithfully!"

"Oh, get up, you idiot!" said Jennifer. "You'll ruin your robes!"

But Will just wouldn't shut up.

"Let it be known, that from this day forth, I, William Tyler, swear allegiance to Kenneth Lionheart, the dreaded Wandmaster," he proclaimed loudly.

"Stop kneeling," said Kenneth. "I'll see if you can serve me properly before I decide to spare the worthless mess that is your life."

"Thank you, my master," said Will, getting up with a grin.

"Now, sit," said Kenneth, before to pat him on the head as he had resumed his seat. "Good boy."

Kalindra's burst of laughter made her spit out her glass of water, and the whole table laughed at that.

"You should control yourself better, Kallie," said Will. "I'm used to see people spit stuff like that, but I think you may have shocked Lady Windhill, here."

Jennifer had a sly grin that was unusual for her.

"It can't be worse than some things I witnessed in our dorm," she said.

"Why, now you're talking," said Will. "I've always been fascinated by what goes on upstairs, in that room of yours. Come on, Jennifer, spill."

"You can't handle the truth, William," said Jennifer. "Maybe when you grow up a bit."

Will couldn't help it. He laughed before to realise it; then he grew solemn.

"A sad day," he said. "A sad day, indeed, that saw me surrender my freedom to a new master and surrender a laugh to Jennifer Windhill. Where does the world go, honestly?"

Again, the group merrily laughed at Will's antics. Kenneth was enjoying the mood, until the laughter died out around him. Some worried looks over his head, made him turn cautiously to see what was behind him.

He found himself facing Julie. By the look of things, she looked pretty angry, and it seemed it was at him. He still held her glare without flinching.

"You're proud of yourself, I suppose," said Julie, dryly.

"I don't really see why I would be ashamed," said Kenneth, realising that she was here about the duel. "What is your issue, Julie?"

"Do you realise that Robert is still in the Hospital wing?" she said on an aggressive tone. "He needs his nose bone grown back."

Rob let out a whistle of admiration and a discrete fist bump to Kenneth was interrupted by the withering look from Julie.

"What did you expect, exactly?" asked Kenneth. "Would you be so pissed if Donahue had succeeded in passing his shocking spell on me, and I was lying there, with burns all over me? It was a fair duel, Julie. If Donahue can't stand the heat, he shouldn't have played with fire. He wanted to play, he lost. That's it."

"You hid your gifts! How do you call that fair?" exclaimed Julie.

"What was I supposed to do, Julie, huh? Was I supposed to go and say: "Oh, I'm very sorry, Robert, but I manifested my Wand Mastery this summer, so I can't face you in a duel, because if I do, I'll kick your arse. Honestly, you think he'd have bought it? He wanted me to prove that I'm not a coward. I did. Next time, he'll think twice before to mess with me."

"And honestly, Julie, Robert did deserve a bit of what he got," said Kalindra.

"Did he?" cut Julie. "Really? All of this for a school fight? I thought you had better sense than that, Kenneth!"

"Oh, cut the crap, Julie," spat Kenneth.

He was getting angry, now. She was here to defend Donahue? And she dared to make him sound like he was at fault? No way in hell.

"You don't stand for the voice of reason, here," he went on. "You're just angry that I damaged your precious sweetheart."

"How dare you!" she said. "I'm not that..."

"Not that what?" he interrupted. "Blindsided? Sure could have fooled me, Julie. I thought we were friends, but that you wouldn't understand that I would defend..."

"Defend what, Kenneth? What could he have said that was so bad that it would end like this?" she asked hotly.

"Julie, you want to shut up, right now," said Kalindra, carefully.

"Let it go, Kallie," said Kenneth, getting up quickly and facing Julie. "Maybe if you hadn't been so busy drooling on your jerk of a boyfriend, you would have noticed what this was about!"

His voice had risen so loud that silence had fallen on the Hall. Julie was speechless.

"I'm not ticklish on many things, but the dung-head called my mother a coward! As for going too far, I only punched the bastard, and_ he_ wanted a duel out of it. I never asked for it, but I wasn't going to let the scum insult my Mother's memory without a price to pay! Since you've gotten so close to Donahue, I guess it's too much to expect you to care about these things, or to value them."

"The memory..." stuttered Julie, who had gone very pale, now, but Kenneth was still furious.

"You know what? I don't want to hear it," said Kenneth. "He came after me. I kicked his arse. I'm done. You tell him to stay away from me, and if you got a problem with that, you might as well stay away from me, as well."

He strode away, furious. He didn't pay attention to either Kalindra's or Julie's call after him.

* * *

Julie was growing desperate. Was it possible that... She was about to run after him, but she was stopped by Kalindra, who put a gentle but firm hand on her arm.

"Not a good idea, right now," she said. "Give him time to cool off, a little."

"Please, Kalindra," said Julie. "Tell me his mother isn't ..."

"I'm afraid she is," said a voice behind her that made her spin on her heels.

She found herself facing Harry Potter. The Defence teacher was looking, beyond her shoulder, at Kenneth, who was striding out of the Hall, under many stupefied eyes. Potter's look was pained.

"Sarah was an Auror and a member of the Order of the Phoenix," he said. "She and Lancelot were among our best fighters. Both Wandmasters, both very dedicated. One night, Sarah led a group on an intelligence mission, which turned out to be a trap. Twenty Death Eaters were waiting. She fought them off covering for her comrades. She was winning until Voldemort showed up and killed her. She ranks high in the Order's memorial. She's a hero."

"Oh, no!" moaned Julie. "Why wouldn't you shut me up?" she pleaded to Kalindra.

"I kinda tried," said Kallie, with a wince.

"I'm such a fool! So Robert has been…"

"Mr. Donahue has shown an impressive lack of both wits and respect," said Potter. "That's the problem, Miss Carteret. People like Mr. Donahue do not consider the value of other people. He couldn't guess that Kenneth's discretion was for the sake of his schoolmates, and not because of fear, because himself doesn't care for others."

"That's not true!" protested Julie.

"Well, I hope so, Miss Carteret," said Professor Potter, sadly, "as I hope that Mr. Donahue didn't know about Sarah Lionheart's name and fame, because if he did, that would either show a severe flaw in his education or suggest a problem with his sanity. Insulting a Lionheart over the courage of his ancestors is irresponsible at best. So is challenging a Wandmaster's son, as a matter of fact. We're lucky Kenneth isn't the vengeful sort, because Mr. Donahue could have ended up with something more serious than a broken nose."

* * *

From that point on, the school's view of Kenneth Lionheart shift dramatically. Now, it was clear to everyone that Kenneth was not only someone you didn't want to cross, but he also was a power to be reckoned with. Whenever he walked into a room, there would always be some whispering. A few girls had started to look at him with a different eye and some were even beginning to stalk him a little. Quite a good amount of sighing could be heard in his wake, when he crossed a corridor.

Ian was amused by that.

_Girls_, he thought. _They need a duel to realise Kenneth is interesting? That's it, I'll never understand them._

To his credit, Kenneth hadn't changed the slightest thing in his attitude, since the duel. He wasn't bragging, he wasn't boasting, he wasn't strutting in the school like he was the latest star.

Only two things were different.

He had started to wear his wand sheath at all time strapped to his arm. It was there for anyone attentive enough to details, hidden in his sleeves, yet a constant reminder to everyone that "one didn't challenge a Lionheart, at all", to quote the Wandmaster. And no mistake, the message had gotten through. A lot of bullying stopped whenever Kenneth appeared at the end of a hall way, since everyone knew he didn't like bullies. And, despite the ridiculous rumours that Kenneth was a dangerous maniac, everyone had revised their opinion on him. The nasty rumours came from Slytherin, of course, as they were vexed of their prefect's defeat, but not many people paid any attention to them. To Donahue's credit, Ian had to admit the prefect had nothing to do with any rumour on Kenneth. He was taking his defeat with the proper humility, going as far as admitting to his supporters that he had underestimated Kenneth.

Ian, for his part, found that little change in Kenneth's status very cool.

But, and that was the second change, Kenneth also seemed to be avoiding Julie Carteret, despite her best efforts. Ian was aware that Julie had sided with Donahue, and Kenneth had every right to be holding a grudge, but he still thought that maybe the Gryffindor boy was overreacting. His feud had been with Donahue, and Julie had been caught in the middle. To be spiteful toward her was maybe a little too much, especially when she looked like she was genuinely sorry.

Ian was no expert, but that could only lead to trouble, in his opinion.

* * *

"Oi, you!" exclaimed Kalindra from across the hall.

Kenneth rolled his eyes, and sighed. Beside him, both Will and Rob had a wince.

"You're in for it," said Will.

"You're in for it, bad," confirmed Rob.

"Don't I know it," said Kenneth, with another sigh, and a resigned smile.

Every sign was there. The tone, the storm clouds gathering in his best friend's eyes... She was mad at him and she meant business. He knew her well enough to know that he was about to get an earful, so he braced himself.

"You'd better clear out," he told his two friends. "It's me she's after, but she's about to get loud. It's better if you don't get caught in the middle of it."

"You know what she wants?" asked Rob, with a cautious look at Kalindra, who was storming through the hall, heading straight at them.

"I have a pretty good idea, yes," said Kenneth, with a shrug.

"Good luck, then," said Will, before he and Rob made a very impressive vanishing act.

Kalindra reached him and had a disgusted look to the two retreating boys.

"Cowards," she snorted.

"I can't blame them," said Kenneth, with a smile. "I'm in trouble, I guess?"

Kalindra took a look around and saw that they were drawing attention.

"Not here," she said.

She spotted an empty classroom, just on their right, and motioned for him to get inside. The pointed finger left no place to discussion.

"What was the point of calling me out from across a hall, if you didn't want this to be public?" asked Kenneth.

"Don't play the smartass with me, Kenneth," she said.

"You do realize that an awful lot of rumours are going to start from the fact you dragged me into a deserted classroom for a private chat, don't you?" he said, helpfully.

"I don't give a hex," she said. "Julie tells me you're still ignoring her," she added on an accusatory tone.

"Ah, that's what it is about," said Kenneth, sobering a little. "So?"

"Aren't you pushing it a little?" asked Kalindra.

"I don't think so, no," said Kenneth, with a shrug.

"Oh, come on!" she exclaimed. "You can't still be mad at her!"

"And why not?" he shot back. "I've got every right to be mad at her, and for the first time in my life, I get to act on it, so, no, I don't think I'm pushing it."

"What is that supposed to mean?" asked Kalindra, a little more softly, as she looked puzzled.

"Look, Kallie," he said, "for the last two years, I've been stepped on by the whole of Slytherin House, without being able to defend myself. No way to get even. And, now that I finally manage to get some measure of vindication, I get told off? By her? No way!"

"But she didn't know!" objected Kalindra.

"You're damn right, she didn't know!" exploded Kenneth. "That's the whole point! She had no clue what she was talking about, and she didn't care to try and find out. And while she stayed neutral in every other dispute between Gryffindors and Slytherins, she passed judgment on that one and took Donahue's side. So, of course, I'm mad at her!"

"But you like her!" said Kalindra, sounding desperate.

"Well, it doesn't help!" said Kenneth. "I thought we were friends, at least. I genuinely like her, yet, she stabbed me in the back, there. She'd better stay away from me, for the moment."

"You can't stay spiteful forever, Kenneth," said Kalindra. "You have to know it."

"Maybe," said Kenneth. "But right now, I am. You should drop it, honestly."

* * *

Julie was slumped on the main stairs of the entrance hall. She was exhausted. All that she wanted was out of this mess, but it just didn't seem to be possible.

On the other hand, she knew that she only had herself to blame. If she had kept her mouth shut, maybe she wouldn't be in such a bind.

So, of course, Robert was now officially her date, and she liked the idea that they were so close. They even had that wonderful date planned out for the Yule Ball. The Slytherin boy had taken his defeat graciously and he had even acknowledged his mistake in front of Julie. To do so in front of Kenneth would probably be another matter entirely, but that was a start. But Robert was genuinely trying to make amends, to regain the sympathies he had lost with the whole incident. Julie was glad to see this, but there was a shadow over this otherwise pleasant picture: As much as she tried to make her own amends, Kenneth was simply ignoring her. The days when he had been sitting beside her in lessons were now long gone. And even if Marion and Jennifer had replaced him in an effort not to leave her alone in class, she missed her friend.

Even worse, while Kalindra and the other girls and even some of the boys had apparently forgiven her for her mistake, Kenneth wasn't the only one to keep a grudge. Her relationship with Mandy, Rob and Will had been strained somewhat, probably out of friendship for Kenneth.

It was depressing, especially when she knew they had reasons to be angry at her, so Julie's morale wasn't that high, to be honest.

The sigh she let out caught the attention of someone Julie hadn't expected to talk to her.

"Oh, my, why so heavy a sigh?" asked Miss Weasley, Harry Potter's girlfriend, as she stopped walking up the stairs right next to her.

Julie looked up to see the reporter who lived in the Castle, sit down beside her with a kind look on her beautiful face.

Ginny Weasley was a living legend in Gryffindor, just as much as Professor Potter, Professor Granger-Weasley and her husband. Kalindra and the others had told Julie all about the redhead's time in Hogwarts. Beside the facts of War, in which Miss Weasley had been deeply involved, even at the age of sixteen, she was also known among students as a very good Quidditch player, both as chaser and Seeker, who had taken over for Harry Potter himself on various occasions. And if legend was to be believed, she had quite a temper, and could even hex her own brothers if they ticked her off. This was a cause for admiration and almost worship for the guys and girls of Gryffindor, hence the reason why she was so famous among Julie's housemates.

"Are you in such trouble?" asked Miss Weasley.

"No... I mean, yes, but... It's not a big deal," said Julie, with a sad smile.

"Oh, trust, Miss Carteret," laughed Miss Weasley, "I've been in your shoes and when you're fifteen, everything is quite a big deal."

Julie had a poor sounding laugh.

"I guess," she said. "But I don't want to bother you with boys trouble."

"Boys trouble?" exclaimed the older witch, mindful not to speak too loudly. "But that's the most important in Hogwarts. Come on, what's your deal?"

Julie's smile turned more open. The older witch had such a lively personality that it was easy to like her and confide in her. It couldn't hurt to get some advice from a grown up who wasn't bound by the rules of the school, either.

"Well, I guess you heard about that mess between Robert Donahue and..." she began.

"... and Kenneth Lionheart? Oh yes, I have heard," said Miss Weasley. "Not to add on you misery, but your boyfriend really stuck both his feet in his mouth on this one."

"I'm sorry?" said Julie, puzzled.

She wasn't familiar with all the little expression the English language held.

"Sorry, I sometimes forget you're not British," said Miss Weasley. "Do you know you have less accentuated English than my sister in law, who's a full adult, now? But I digress. It means he should have kept his mouth shut."

"Clearly," said Julie. "And so should I, for that matter."

"Oh?" noted the redhead woman.

"Well, I didn't join Robert in his insult, thankfully," said Julie, "but after Robert ended up in the hospital, I was upset, so I went to Kenneth and told him off. He blew at me like never before."

"Well, knowing a few Lionhearts, I can't say I'm surprised, or that I can blame him," said Miss Weasley. "But you didn't know, did you?"

"No," said Julie. "Had I known, I would have stayed put. Since then, I have tried to apologize, but he won't even speak to me."

"Julie, I will say this: fifteen year old boys are nothing but predictable. Their stubbornness knows no bound. Why does it bother you so much?"

"Well, I thought myself as a friend of Kenneth before I went and screwed up," said Julie. "Sorry for the language."

"No problem, dear, I'm no teacher," chuckled the witch. "So, you're friends with Kenneth and you want to patch it up. I get it. What about the other one? That dashing Prefect... you're dating him, am I correct?"

"That's right," said Julie, "but I don't see why I couldn't be friends with Kenneth at the same time. I mean, they're not so different, deep down. Maybe they even could become friends, if..."

"Aha! An idealist," said Miss Weasley, kindly. "Trying to go beyond the House rivalries. I'd encourage it, but in the case of Kenneth, I'd give up trying to reconcile him with Mr Donahue. There is a feud of honour between them. They won't ever be friends. Kenneth is a Lionheart and a Gryffindor. He may come to tolerate Donahue, but never be his friend."

Julie's disappointment must have shown on her face, for Miss Weasley went on.

"Which doesn't mean that you should lose a friend," she said.

"But how? If I can't patch things..." began Julie.

"Between _them_," Weasley kindly interrupted her. "But between you and him, why couldn't you? I mean, it's not because you date a guy you're supposed to side with him all the time. The fact you date wont' stop him from being an ass from time to time. Make it clear that you don't agree with your boyfriend all the time, and especially on that issue."

"But Kenneth won't speak to me," said Julie, in discouragement.

"Don't give up and he'll come around, if only because he'll get tired of being angry," smiled the older woman with a smile.

"How can you know?" asked Julie, candidly.

"I was raised with six brothers," said Ginny. "And I'm living with a wizard whose temper is legendary. You don't do that without catching a trick or two about boys. I know how they work. After a while, they just get tired of arguing."

Julie had a hopeful smile.

"Thanks, Miss Weasley," she said.

"The advice is free," said the redhead. "But you have to promise me something, in return for the sympathy," she added with a cunning grin.

"What is it?" asked Julie, cautiously.

"Don't let those dorks get to you, alright?" And above all, don't you let it affect you Quidditch game," chuckled Miss Weasley. "That game against Slytherin was fantastic. I certainly expect you to keep up this level of performance against the rest."

Julie had a little laugh.

"I promise," she said.

"Good," said Miss Weasley. "Now, chin up, young lady. You can't have them think they can get you down."

Julie stood up and made a show of raising her head high, with a smile.

"That's the spirit!" approved Miss Weasley, getting up as well.

They started up the stairs, laughing, both holding their heads high, and as they parted ways, Julie felt loads better, in fact.

* * *

That very evening, Harry had noticed that Ginny looked pensive. He wondered what was bothering her throughout the whole dinner, but Ginny wasn't letting anything out. Harry kept his patience until they were back upstairs, in their apartment.

"Alright, is something the matter, love?" he asked bluntly, as soon as he had closed the door.

"I'm sorry, what?" asked Ginny.

"You've been elsewhere for the whole dinner," said Harry. "Is there something wrong?"

"Oh, no, not wrong," said Ginny, with a smile. "It's just... they've offered me an assignment at work, and I'm not sure what to do with this."

Harry had an understanding nod.

"Care to share?" he asked.

"Well, it's overseas," she said. "In Austria."

"Austria? What's going on in Austria?" he asked, curious.

"There is a summit between various European Ministers," said Ginny. "Ambrosius is going there, and the Herald wants me to tail him during the whole thing."

Harry was suitably impressed. The coverage of such an event showed that the editors at the Herald were starting to trust Ginny with important stuff. This was good for her career.

"Well, that's good," he said. "I mean, it's an excellent opportunity, right?"

"Sure," said Ginny. "But even if it's only for a few days, I would spend the entire holidays there."

"And that's a problem?" asked Harry, genuinely surprised.

"Well, our first Christmas in Hogwarts..." said Ginny.

"Gin',"said Harry, with a reassuring smile. "We'll have tons of Christmases in Hogwarts and this is good for your career. There won't be such a Summit every other week, you know."

"I know, and Dad said the same," said Ginny, with a sad shrug. "But I wasn't sure. I mean, Christmas has always been very important to you, so..."

"Well, Christmas was important to me in my school years, because those were the first Holidays I had ever celebrated. I'm not there anymore, love. I'll be with Ron and Hermione, either at the Burrow, or here in the Castle... I'll be fine. It's not like you're settling there for the job."

"Certainly not," said Ginny, chuckling. "have you heard of the food there? I'd put on half a ton in a week!"

Her tone feigned pure horror at the thought. Harry laughed and came to hug her.

"I guess I'm so used to be around you for Christmas that I don't know what else to do," said Ginny, after a while.

"You'll be fine, too," said Harry. "Look, I don't say I won't miss you. I always miss you when you're not home, but this is a big chance for you."

"So you're alright with this?" she asked.

"Well, I'm alright with it, but even if I wasn't, it's up to you, Ginny," said Harry. "Well, that is if Molly allows you to travel out of England for Christmas," he added with a grin.

"After allowing Charlie to spend so many of those in Romania? I'd like to see her try and stop me, actually. I'd explain a few things to my dear mother."

Harry laughed in her hair.

"Can I watch?" he asked.

"Barbarian," she chided him. "Anyway, thanks, Harry. For the support, I mean."

"Don't mention it," he said. "It's part of the job, after all."


	11. The Woes of youth

_**Author's notes:** I just can't believe I did that again! I left that story sleeping for more than three months! Argh! I present my deepest apologies to the faithful readers who have been kept waiting. _

_I offer only three excuses for the delay: _

_One, my six months-old baby is taking a lot of my time, because it wouldn't be fair if her mother has to do all the work. Two, the work has been crazy! Three, a sneaky plot bunny has slipped into my mind, tearing me back to the DC universe for a while. I'll try to keep it in check, so I can focus on this story._

_Hope this little update will be enough before the next big step in the story._

_Thanks again for the support and your patience!_

* * *

**The Woes of Youth**

* * *

November was turning to December and as the snow was beginning to cover the grounds and the Castle, the Yule Ball was getting closer. And, as much as the duel between Kenneth and Donahue had eclipsed the rest of school life, the Ball was taking over any other sort of interest, except for the die-hard fans of the Silver Quill Challenge. But by now, the whole student body was gossiping endlessly about the couples involved in the Ball, and what it could mean.

Ian was still puzzled by the importance it seemed to take for the students. But he brushed it away. It's not like it was any of his business, really. He wasn't of age to go to the Ball and most his friends wouldn't attend it either. A few third years had been asked by older students, but they were either in Gryffindor or Slytherin. All in all, it was a promising holiday ahead of them. And most of Ian's friends were having a good term.

Only one point of disappointment remained. Despite Kalindra's best efforts, Kenneth was still cold to Julie. Ian had this feeling that it just wasn't right, for some reason. It was like Julie and Kenneth being apart like that seemed out of place. And something else did seem out of place: Julie still dating Donahue. So it was established that they would be going to the Ball together, since Donahue had asked her a long time ago. Julie seemed happy about it, but Ian couldn't help but finding the idea… abhorrent.

Kenneth, for his part, didn't seem to be really interested in the Ball, to the dismay of a lot of people. Ian had noticed that many girls were hoping for him to invite them, now. Girls that were hardly noticing him before. And if they were, that would have been to forget him at the second Donahue would have walked in the room.

_Women_, had been his thought, with some kind of cynical resignation.

Ian got his information from Terry, of course, but also from Kalindra, who was a good friend of him. According to her, she was this close to slap both Kenneth and Julie for not talking to each other. On one side, Julie was still trying to talk to Kenneth, in order to apologize, but had ceased to be depressed about it. And on the other, Kenneth was still acting as if Julie and Donahue were on the same page all the time.

Ian found this a little unfair. Of course, Julie was Donahue's date, and she had supported him, but Ian was quite convinced that she would be the first to admit her mistake if Kenneth only gave her the chance.

Terry, since the Christmas break was closing in, was getting over excited, and played prank after prank on his friends, and was flirting even more with Kieran, Morag and Alba. Ian knew that he stood no chance, but he seemed to enjoy the game.

Ian wasn't involved in that game. He had his own problems. He was still forced to take extra lessons with Alexander, especially since the incident with the shaking walls. He didn't usually mind extra lessons, but it did point out his situation clearly enough.

For some time now, Ian had been scared. He was feeling like he was back in these days when he couldn't get any hold on his powers, when he was five or six. This was frustrating, of course, but more over it was really worrying. Ian couldn't imagine the kind of damage that he could create in the school if he lost the control of his powers. That was something he had always refused. To bear the responsibility of others' wounds…

But the lessons were going well. Thanks to Alexander, he was now more in control of the energy he was using when performing a spell. But still there were times when he could feel the power inside of him begin to boil like in some cauldron. The thought of what could happen if the cauldron erupted was terrifying.

"That won't happen to you, Ian," Alexander was often saying him. "You're making progress. Soon you'll be able to master this new level of power."

"How did you do?" asked Ian, once.

"Well, the fact is that I didn't have to adjust. I had to master my powers in my first year. Once I was in control, the energies I was playing with didn't matter. You experience something new, as you experience a surge of your powers while you practice to master them. Now, you'll have to catch up with them."

Ian rolled his eyes.

"Why me?" he wept, comically.

"Because you are someone special," said Alexander.

"Special?" asked Ian.

"Yes, Ian, you are," said Alexander, very seriously. "I have a feeling that these gifts of yours could be very important in the future."

"You can't be serious," said Ian. "I'm just a weird kind of wizard, aren't I?"

"No, you're not," said Alexander. "I've had time to think about this. I used to think I was a freak of nature, even among wizards, because I used the powers of Chaos. And then I met Morgenstein, and he was wielding the same kind of power. When Professor McGonagall contacted me about you, I came to a conclusion. I was no freak, I was a pathfinder. I was the first of a new kind of wizards. You and I, Ian, are bound to show the way for the ones who will come after us. And new ones will come."

"How do you know?" asked Ian.

"Because the Seal of Chaos has been broken," said Alexander. "For millennia, it had siphoned Magic out of the world. Now Magic is free from its influence. So the powers of Chaos are bound to rise again in the blood of wizards. In fact, I'm guessing that it is what is happening with your powers."

"Is it?"

Alexander nodded.

"The Breach of the Seal of Chaos may have affected you and caused this surge in your power," said Alexander. "I'm not worried for you, Ian, but trust me, you're not weird but you're definitely special."

"But Kieran is special, too, if you go that way," said Ian.

"Sure," said Alexander. "In her own way, Kieran is more exceptional than you are. She's a genius, for her age. It makes her special. You're not unique, Ian. No one really is, in fact."

Ian nodded. Somehow, he liked that idea that he wasn't unique, or weird, or set apart from the others.

_When you make walls shake upon a sneeze? Don't kid yourself, Malcolm, you are apart from the others_, he told himself, somewhat gloomily.

* * *

"You've got to be kidding me!" exclaimed Jennifer, loudly, in the dorm, as she was entering it. "That obnoxious, insufferable… JERK!"

"That would be Will, right?" said Mandy, yawning lazily. "What's he done, now?"

"He's taking Alwena Silverleaf to the Yule Ball!" said Jennifer.

"So?" said Kalindra, with an amused grin.

"He's a prefect!" said Jennifer, on the tone of the obvious.

"So?" repeated Kalindra.

"I'm a prefect!" said Jennifer.

"I'm sorry to sound like a cracked record, but 'SO?'" Kalindra went for a third time.

"He should be taking me to the ball, but now I have to make other plans! How can he be so irresponsible?!" huffed Jennifer.

"Oh, _COME ON!_" exclaimed Kalindra, loudly, sending everyone in mute shock, except for Mandy who was burying her face into her pillow, stifling her laughter as hard as she could.

Julie had a smile. Kalindra's patience was reaching her limit, of course, so a scene like this had been due to happen in the Gryffindor dormitory for quite some time, now.

"What is wrong with you, Kalindra?" asked Jennifer, with a little haughtiness in her voice.

"That has got to be the lamest excuse you pulled out your hat, so far, Jen," said Kalindra, hotly. "Let me get this straight. You spend most of your free time scolding at Will, speaking to him as if he's an immature kid. You look down at everything he does, says or even thinks, sometimes, and out of the blue, he's supposed to take you out on a date? And the fact that he doesn't has you miffed like that?"

"But…" began Jennifer, taken aback, and clearly uncomfortable, now. "He…"

"And not only do you blame him, but you go on and invent that dung: he was supposed to ask you out for the Ball because you're both prefects? That's got to be a winner!" Kalindra went on. "Will you finally admit that you _want_ Will Tyler to ask you out and be done with it?!"

Jennifer suddenly stood up.

"I will come back when you're done spitting nonsense," she said, with a huff and a vexed expression.

And she left the room. Kalindra let herself fall back on her bed. She grabbed one of her pillow and pressed it on her face before to scream.

"ARGGGH! She's going to drive me crazy!" she said, before to throw the pillow back to her bed's head and laugh out loud. "That felt good."

Julie was a little at a loss for words.

"What the hex was that?" she asked, very carefully.

"That, dear Goldilocks," said Kalindra, "is the perfect illustration of how infuriating Will Tyler and Jennifer Windhill are since their second year. Honestly, is it so difficult to admit that you fancy a boy? Does she have to play that game pretending to be annoyed by him. Damn it, if she is jealous that he goes to the Ball with Alwena, why doesn't she say so?"

Julie shrugged at that, but she was beginning to understand why Kalindra was so annoyed at the two of them, if Jennifer's attitude was an example of what they had done for years. That had to be frustrating for Jennifer's friends.

"The question is also: why does Will take Alwena to the Ball?" asked Mandy.

"Well, it's obvious," said Julie. "Alwena's smart, funny and pretty, and she was probably interested in spending a nice evening. So I guess Will saw her as a partner he would like to have."

"Why wouldn't he ask Jen, then?" asked Marion.

"Oh, come on, Marion," said Kalindra, impatiently. "Don't you go and support Jennifer's twisted view of things. All Will is ever getting from Jennifer is rebuke and disdain. Why on earth would he think that she was willing to go out with him. He's not a legilimens, is he?"

"Fair point," admitted Marion. "But he does like her, doesn't he? I mean, the way he talks to her, and the way he defended her honour, back in third year…"

"Oh, he likes her alright," said Kalindra. "But maybe he's wising up, this year and he's starting to let go."

"Oh, that would be a shame," said Marion. "I mean, those two… they are obvious, right?"

"How can they be obvious?" asked Julie, puzzled. "I mean, I've been here for a few months now, and all I saw them do was to get on each other nerves."

"Yeah, but you've only been here a few months," said Kalindra. "You should have seen them, in our first years. They were just unable to get out of a room without each other. They were the closest you could imagine."

"But what happened, then?" asked Julie. "If they like each other so much, then why…"

"Because the two dolts were unable to make the transition from best of friends to romance, and since then, they're circling each other in that annoying dance of theirs," said Kalindra.

"They'll come around," said Mandy, calmly, from her bed.

* * *

In the late morning, the next Saturday, Ian and his friends were taking a stroll through the Castle, the only thing you could do, really, when there was such a dreadful weather outside and you had completed all your homework.

They were discussing a wide number of subject, from their upcoming tests to the best placed on the couples that would attend the Yule Ball together. Ian hadn't gotten involved in the bets about that, which was rare enough to underline it, but he was still kept informed by his gossiping network. The whole school seemed to be talking mainly about dresses and hairstyles, these days. It was difficult to even follow the rest of what was happening. It seemed that the Silver Quill Challenge was even being eclipsed a little by the coming dance.

Speaking of the Silver Quill, Kieran was nowhere to be seen. Ian was fairly sure she was in the library, which she was already haunting during a regular term, but that had become the centre of her universe, now that she was in the Challenge. Since she had been announced as a contestant, she basically lived there.

And speaking of contestants, Ian spotted Alwena Silverleaf at the end of the corridor. She was struggling with a pile of books and parchments, which meant she was probably researching the enchantment put on the lectern. The pile was dangerously rocking back and forth and threatened to collapse at any moment. Ian had a quick nod to his friends and he walked to her.

"You need a hand with that, Wena?" he asked.

"Oh! That would be nice, thank you. I think I bit a little more than I can chew, here," she smiled.

Ian and Mark caught some of her books, while Joel was relieving her of the parchments, leaving her carrying only a thick binder full of papers. Ian couldn't help but notice that Mark's expression when his hand brushed with Alwena's, as he was taking his share of books was pretty scary in its vacancy. He looked like some very nasty creature had sucked his brain from his skull, but had done so in a way that left a very stupid grin on his face. But it wasn't as if it was anything new, when it came to Alwena. She had that effect on many people. Mark had fancied her from the moment he had walked through the doors of the Great Hall for his Sorting. Since then, he had been fascinated by the honey blonde beauty.

Ian was about to ask Alwena about her progress in the contest, a subject Kieran remain resolutely mute about, when Kieran appeared at the corner of the hallway, Gillian right at her heels.

"Alwena, I've got it!" she exclaimed.

Alwena's eyes lit up at that, and she dropped everything to join Kieran and Gillian. She literally dropped everything, from her bag to the huge binder in her arms and the thing fell quickly hard on Ian's foot, causing all the books he was carrying to drop to the floor as well, Ian being too busy massaging his sore foot to pay them any attention.

"This has better be worth it, K," said Ian, jumping on the spot on one foot, aware he was ridiculous.

If he expected compassion from his best friend, he was in for a disappointment, because Kieran barely paid him any attention.

"Come on!" she said to her team-mates, excitedly.

And they were off, Kieran dragging them by the sleeves. Ian had rarely seen her so excited. She disappeared without a single look to her Ravenclaw friends.

"Okay, that was scary," said Joel.

"Sure," said Gina. "Let's see what this was about, okay?"

The group hurriedly collected Alwena's things from the floor and followed the three contestants.

"I think I know where they are going," said Edwin.

Ian was lagging behind because of his foot, but he saw Edwin lead them toward the corridor in which the Hall of the Silver Quill was. He thought that Edwin was probably right. The group quickened their pace, and when they got there, Ian's foot was protesting painfully. When they reached the door, a small crowd, whose attention had surely been drawn by the three girls, was starting to gather. Kieran was conferring with Gillian and Alwena on hushed tones, in front of the doors of the room.

Many people were running in the corridors, called out by their friends, sensing that another attempt to retrieve the Silver Quill was about to happen. Given the spectacular failures that the school had witnessed so far, Ian wasn't really surprised. Since the Silver Quill challenge had been opened to the entire school, it was turning from a little competition between Ravenclaw into a school event. The bets had soared in the pool that Ian was holding and he was constantly harassed by people who wanted to shift their bets. So even if the Ball was eclipsing the Silver Quill for the moment, it had still never been so popular, since its creation.

Kieran and the other two suddenly nodded to each other and knocked at the door, signalling their intent to try and answer the challenge. The doors opened and the crowd rushed in, hot on the heels of Gillian, Alwena and Kieran at the lead.

Kieran led her team to the lectern, which was still shimmering in blue light, the enchantment still guarding the Silver Quill. Around them, the students were quickly taking seats to enjoy the show.

Ian and his friends hurried to find a seat, at the first row of the benches that had been settled in the Hall for the people wanting to see the attempts. Ian gave the thumbs up to Kieran, who seemed to notice him for the first time and had a tense smile for him.

Alwena went to place herself opposite Kieran and Gillian, the lectern between them. Gillian placed herself near Kieran. When they got their wands out, Alwena pointed hers at the Lectern, while Gillian aimed at Kieran. Frowning, Ian wondered what they were up to. Kieran had her wand ready as well.

"_Celerae_!" said Gillian, and Alwena followed by uttering "_Retardae_!"

Both spells flashed at the same time, and Kieran's form started to look blurry. It was as if she was moving too quickly to be seen clearly. Alwena's charm hit the lectern and there was a thundering sound echoing under the ceiling. The enchantment seemed to shimmer faintly more slowly, and the tint of the light shifted, if only a little. Kieran then did something with her wand, but with Gillian's spell on her, it was impossible for anyone to see what she was doing or to hear what she was saying.

But a suddenly flash of light suddenly brightened the whole room. Once the light faded, Gillian reacted quickly and aimed at Kieran's troubled figure.

"Finite," she said.

Kieran's shape got sharper and stopped trembling. Her smile was radiant!

Everyone looked at the lectern as one, which looked like nothing had even happened to it, but suddenly, Ian noticed something.

"No way," he said, astonished.

Where the quill had been resting, there was a stone, sitting on the cushion, like it belonged there. Ian's eyes darted back to Kieran and no mistake, in her hand, she held the Silver Quill!

"Yes!" exclaimed Joel, who saw the same thing as Ian.

"They did it!" shouted Gina, excitedly.

The hall exploded in cheers, as Gillian and Alwena rushed to Kieran and caught her in delighted hugs. A bell suddenly echoed in the hall, and the spell on the lectern glowed red, plunging everyone in silence.

There were echoes of footsteps and the doors of the room opened wide, to leave passage to Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall. Ian could tell, as the teachers made their way into the room, that McGonagall had a discrete smile to Alwena, when she saw the young Gryffindor standing in the middle of the room, with the Silver Quill in Kieran's hands.

"Aha!" said Dumbledore, brightly. "We appear to have a winner, then."

"Indeed, indeed!" exclaimed Professor Flitwick, as he came trotting into the hall, positively delighted. "And quicker than last year, too! Quite exciting!"

The tiny teacher went to the lectern and conducted a thorough examination of it, with wand and fingers. After a while, he let out a chuckle.

"Hmm, the spell looks intact," he said. "It senses something is off, so it warned us, but it is still guarding the stone on that cushion like it's the Quill. I would say that the spell has been bamboozled, Headmaster."

The mere idea seemed to elate him.

"Who has done this?" he asked, turning to the students. "Oh, Miss Crawley! Your team, then? How remarkable, with a third year in your ranks! Excellent!"

"Well, to be perfectly, honest, Sir," said Gillian, "it was mostly Kieran's doing."

"Is that so?" said Dumbledore, cocking an eyebrow.

"No!" protested Kieran, before to blush redder than Ian had ever seen her. "I... I couldn't have done it without Wena and Gillian," she added on a little tone. "I mean literally. It was really a team work, Sir."

"Why don't you explain how you proceeded , then, Miss McDougall," invited Dumbledore.

Kieran threw an interrogative look to her two team-mates.

"Go on, Kieran," said Alwena, grinning. "Your plan... I'm not sure I understood it all, anyway."

There was a general chuckle, but Kieran nodded, and started talking.

"What happened is that we figured with Gillian's reading of the enchantment on the Quill that it was triggered when one tried to alter it. But there was a delay in its response. The delay was too fast to reach the Quill. Besides, when Naveen's team tried to knock it off the lectern, I saw that the spell changed into a cage to avoid the Quill falling out of it. I saw the cushion move when the Quill levitated back to it, so I thought that the cushion was bewitched as well, like a second line of defence. Alwena then measure the delay."

"A sixth of a second, to be precise," said Alwena, smiling.

"I see," noted Dumbledore. "I'll have to be careful with that, then."

"So we needed to be quicker than the spell and to fool it as well," Kieran went on. "So what Gillian did was to put me under a Haste Charm, since she was the best at charming persons. Alwena slowed down the spell, so I would have time to act. I then cast a disrupting charm on the enchantment and during the sixth of a second it needed to restore itself, I cast a switching spell between the stone and the Quill, because that was the quickest way we thought of to get the Quill out of the spell. And that did it."

"Very clever, Miss McDougall," said Professor McGonagall, with a surprising approval in her tone.

"And indeed a very close teamwork," added Professor Dumbledore. "Your way of solving the puzzle posed by this lectern was very subtle. I'm impressed with the three of you. That will be thirty points for Gryffindor and sixty points for Ravenclaw. You shall all receive your reward for answering the Challenge during tonight's feast, since victory in the Silver Quill Challenge is cause for a feast, don't you think?"

Huge cheers answered to that. Ian rushed to Kieran and caught her into a hug.

"You are awesome, K!" he exclaimed.

"I believe she is, Mr Malcolm," said Dumbledore with a chuckle.

"Oh, she is indeed!" exclaimed Flitwick, clapping his hands.

The hall started to applaud and Kieran was blushing again before she could help it. But the smile she turned to Ian was beaming. Her team-mates were clearly enjoying the triumph, too.

Ian then turned to the crowd.

"Alright! For all of you who said that I was nuts to put my money on Kieran's team, I've three words for you: Pay up, losers!" he said defiantly.

"Mr Malcolm!" protested McGonagall, though she had trouble hiding a half smile.

"I'm not sure I can condone betting for a person your age, Mr Malcolm," said Dumbledore, feigning a stern look at him.

Ian had a huge grin.

"I understand, Sir," he said. "But you still owe three sickles, though."

* * *

Julie was in the process of picking up a hairstyle that would match her dress, with Jennifer, Marion and Mandy. They were going through various magazines, and having a lot of fun doing it, though it was, by their own admission, pretty silly. They pretended to fawn over a certain style.

At some point, Julie caught sight of Kalindra and Kenneth entering the Common Room, discussing animatedly about something.

"No way!" said Kalindra. "I can't believe it!"

"Believe it," said Kenneth, with his usual smile, both discrete and slightly ironic. "He was singing."

"I missed that? I missed Hugh Berinson's serenade to Aquila Stenwick! Oh, I could kick myself!" moaned Kalindra.

Julie decided she needed to seize her chance and got up, which caused some protest from her friends, since this made the magazine fall on the floor. The noise made many looks turned to her and she saw Kenneth's eye fall on her. She summoned her courage to go and talk to him, but as soon as she approached, he took his leave from Kalindra and went up the stairs to his dorm. Julie stopped and sighed heavily. Kalindra gave her a sad look of apology.

This was getting ridiculous.

"Don't worry," said a voice behind her.

She turned and found herself facing Anthony Fields, who was lounging in one of the couches, and looking at the staircase.

"Don't worry about what?" she asked.

"He'll come around," said Fields.

"How can you know?" asked Julie. "I mean, everyone says he has never been so angry."

"Exactly," said Fields. "It's not in his nature to stay mad that long. And he's not unfair, either. He'll realize he's out of line, and he'll speak to you again. Just wait a little bit longer."

"You think he's out of line?" said Julie, surprised. "I thought everyone blamed me in this mess."

"Well, he's right to be angry," said Fields, shrugging. "But he's not right to keep that grudge for so long. A whole month is pushing it."

"Can't you talk to him?" asked Julie. "Maybe if someone else than Kalindra tells him, then..."

"I can't promise you anything," said Fields. "Kenneth's head is pretty hard. But I'll try."

"Thanks, Fields," she said. "Why is everyone calling you Fields, anyway? I mean, you do have a first name."

"A first name that I don't like," said Fields, with a smile. "Anthony. Urgh. I prefer Fields."

"Oh," said Julie. "I like Anthony. I mean, it sounds classy."

"There's no accounting to taste, is there?" chuckled Fields. "So... you're going to the Ball with Donahue, then?"

"Yes," said Julie. "Is that an issue? Because it seems that's the only thing people are talking about, around here."

"Well, it kinda is," said Fields. "I mean, you're going to be the star couple at the party, so it's feeding the rumour mill."

"The star couple? Why?" asked Julie.

"Are you blind, Julie?" chuckled Kalindra, who joined the conversation. "You're a hot, foreign chick and he's the gorgeous Prefect from a rich family. It's like you're..."

"You're the wizard Barbie and Ken," said Fields, with a smile.

"Ugh, is this the way people see us?" said Julie, horrified. "Barbie and Ken?"

"Well, those who know you and know Donahue don't think that," said Fields, "but for most of the others..."

"Who are Barbie and Ken?" asked Kalindra, puzzled.

"A stupid blonde bimbo and her dumbass of a fiancé, living in a fluffy little world made of pink," said Fields, with a smile.

"Yeah, that's exactly that," said Julie, with a smile. "They're dolls, Kallie," she explained more seriously. "A muggle line of dolls to play with. They're supposed to be the perfect couple."

"You don't seem to agree," said Kalindra.

"When you realize that all Barbie's life revolves around are how to dress for the day, ski attire or bikini, you quickly want more from life."

"Oh," smiled Kalindra. "Let me reassure you. You're not a Barbie."

"Is that right?" asked Julie.

"Nope," said Kalindra. "Most days, you're unable to dress properly."

"What? Oh, you! What is that supposed to mean?" exclaimed Julie.

"Let's just say that you and ties are just mortal enemies and let's leave it at that," said Kalindra, with a vicious smile.

"I'll have you know that in Beaubâtons, girls weren't forced to wear ties!" said Julie, with feint disdain in her voice. "Anyway, I'm not talking to you anymore. Fields, my friend, who is your date for the Ball?"

"Marion," said Fields.

"Seriously?" said Kalindra. "Didn't know you had a thing for Marion."

"I don't," said Fields. "I'm going with her as friends. To quote Marion, I'm her "lifeline", so..."

He had said that pretty naturally and with a frank smile. Julie kind of envied Fields and his honest and simple outlook on things. Why did her life seem like such a mess compared to his?

* * *

One last week before the Ball would take place in Hogwarts. Hermione was anxious to see it. This was some huge event. And it was a good occasion to create bounds with the older students. They were coming to an age when they needed to know their teachers. It was a great Idea that Dumbledore had. Everyone didn't share her view of course. Professor Snape seemed to be in the kind of mood that could kill. Enounce the idea of some Ball in front of him would be a poisoning warrant for any student. Professor Trelawney didn't care and to mention it in front of Binns would have the same effect than mentioning anything else… nothing.

On the late afternoon of Friday, Hermione was walking toward her classroom, when she saw Harry heading to the entrance Hall. He was dressed as if he was going out of the grounds.

"Where are you going?" asked Hermione, waving at him.

"Cho needs a new Broom after her crash. Her club has provided one for the games she has played since, but she wants a new one. She asked me for advice," said Harry.

"Does Ginny know?" asked Hermione, with a wink.

"Oh, yeah, she suggested it to her," said Harry, with a bright smile. "We're meeting her for lunch right after we find Cho's new Broom."

Hermione nodded, as she looked at Harry walking away from the Castle. There was something nagging at the back of her head, about these moments Harry was spending with Cho. Not that she worried that Harry would ever cheat on Ginny, or even fall for the Chinese woman again. But there was some kind of foreboding for her, and she couldn't put her finger on it.

Well, at least, for the moment, it was crystal clear for Harry and Ginny, since they were having lunch with Cho. It's not like he was going behind her back. Hermione shrugged it off.

She was about to get back to her class room, to prepare for the next lesson, but she heard some commotion in the stairs coming from the dungeons. Ian Malcolm came running out of the stairs. Behind him Hermione could hear the voice of Snape thunder in the depths of the Castle.

"MR. MALCOLM, COME BACK THIS INSTANT! YOU WEREN'T ALLOWED TO LEAVE THIS CLASS!"

Hermione ran to join Ian. What was going on? Ian ran into the cloister in the middle of the Castle. Once he was in the free air, he fell on his knees, holding his head in his hands.

"Ian! What is going on?" she shouted, running even faster.

Ian turned to her eyes glowing of some golden light.

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!" he shouted.

And suddenly, a huge flash of light seemed to spring out of him. Hermione stopped to cover her eyes. When she could take another look, what she saw made her mouth hang open.

Ian was floating, arms extended, his face turned to the sky. And a storm of light was shooting from him to the high sky. The light was blinding. And thunder was echoing around them. Finally, the flow ceased and Ian fell in the snow, motionless. Hermione ran to him. She turned him on his back. She checked his breathing and pulse. They were normal.

"What's wrong with him?" asked the voice of Snape, behind her.

She turned to him. He was looking at her with the usual despise he had shown to her since she was here. She frowned at him.

"What do you think happened to him?" she spat. "He's fainted. We have to bring him to Hospital Wing!"

"How do we know he doesn't fake it?" said Snape with a fierce look at Ian.

"What?"

Hermione was aghast at the very notion he was suggesting. Of all the stupid things Snape could…

"Move over, Snape," suddenly said the voice of Alexander, cutting though her train of thought.

He walked to Hermione and Ian. He took the young boy in his arms, and he headed to the Hospital Wing, followed by Hermione, who gave herself the luxury to throw a withering look at Snape while walking by him.

"What happened?" asked Alexander.

"I don't know," said Hermione. "I just saw him run out of the dungeons, and he fell in the snow. Seconds later, he was floating in the air, sending light to the sky."

"He did this before," said Alexander, nodding his head. "When he was five."

Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"Ian is a living concentration of Magic Power, as all wizards are. The power we use comes from ourselves. It takes its roots in the living world around us. But it seems like Ian is somehow concentrating a higher power than most wizards. I wonder sometimes if he's not running on a greater power than me."

"Like a higher voltage? On a battery?" asked Hermione.

"Interesting terms," said Alexander. "Don't know what's a battery, though," he added with a smile.

"Oh! sorry, Muggle term. It's some power source for the Muggles. Ian seems to work on a bigger source than us, that's what you meant?"

"Yes, he uses powers like the ones I use myself. But this power manifests earlier in his case. And he uses it too scarcely. So, he comes to a sort of surge," said the Entropist. "But I was working with him about it. I wonder why he can't manage to hold it down."

"Will he be alright?" asked Hermione, looking to Ian's pale face with concern.

"He'll need some sleep, but he should be fine," said Alexander, nodding.


	12. Shadows near the Quidditch Pitch

_My deepest apologies for the delay in updating this. I was caught up at work and I've come to realise that a baby does eat up a fair amount of your time! But hopefully, the next updates should come quicker. I've managed to type a lot of new stuff into the story, and its sequel, so the update flow should be a little smoother, now._

_THanks for the people following. I hope you'll like this one. Let's say that ... the plot thickens... DUN DUN DUN!_

* * *

**Shadows near the Pitch**

* * *

When Ian woke up, three hours later, he knew at once where he was. As a Hogwarts students, he was familiar enough with the hospital wing. He was being told off enough by Madam Pomfrey about the frequency of his stays. He didn't feel tired, but curiously drained. He looked around him. Nobody was in sight. Usually, when he ended up in the hospital wing, his friends stayed to watch over him.

"I sent them to dinner," said Madam Pomfrey, walking in his view, and surely reading his look. "They refused to leave you alone, but they were all hungry. Are you feeling better?"

Ian nodded. He felt good. And somehow the headache he had the whole day was gone.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Apparently, you tried an impression of a lamp," said Madam Pomfrey with a little smile. " Professor Lockenburn says you must come to see him tomorrow right after the breakfast. He says you know what it means when you do that."

"Yeah, I know," said Ian, getting up slowly, rubbing hid neck.

"For me, I say you can get to dinner, right now," said the Nurse.

Ian nodded again.

"Thank you," he said, and he walked away.

He walked out the Hospital Wing, on a dragging pace. He was feeling depressed. It was starting again. The days where his powers were completely out of control were the worst in his life. He remembered the last time he had floated like this. He was five years old. And now he was losing it again.

He walked down the stairs coming down from the Hospital Wing. He looked a long time at the Great Hall's doors. He definitely didn't feel like being questioned endlessly by his friends. He needed some time on his own to think about what was happening to him. Besides, he didn't feel particularly hungry. So, instead of the Great Hall, he headed to the Nest.

When he reached the common room, he was greeted by a familiar sight, sitting in an armchair near the fire.

"How predictable can you get?" asked Kieran, with a smile. "I knew you would skip dinner."

Ian saw that she had settled a plate with sandwiches on a small table. He had a smile. Now that he was seeing them, he found they looked delicious and he was kinda hungry, after all. Maybe he needed to think about the incident, but that could wait.

"Well, at least, I give you the chance to boast about how much you know me," he said, with a grin, before to join her at the table.

"Such a glorious thing to boast about," said Kieran, with a sarcastic twist of her mouth.

* * *

The dinner had ended and the students were now getting slowly to their Common rooms, chatting joyfully. The Ball was the main subject of the conversations among the students. Minerva McGonagall was a strict woman in the eyes of everyone, but it was difficult for her not to show her amusement at the way these young people were forgetting restraint and reason at the idea of a dance. Far from being irritating, it was kind of endearing for the elder witch. One could not say that Minerva was heartless. And one can't spend years teaching children without starting to feel a little maternal toward them. She wasn't about to deny them the pleasure of being excited about a party. But it didn't mean that they could cross too many lines in the process.

Minerva had broken off the third inappropriate conversation about the coming ball when she saw Julie Carteret walk up to her, a little shyly.

"Can I help you, Miss Carteret?" she asked.

"Professor, I have forgotten my necklace in the Quidditch locker room," said Julie. "I was wondering if I could be allowed to go there and fetch it."

Minerva was pleasantly surprised by the fact the girl asked permission. Most students would have tried to sneak out to the pitch and come back quickly, trying to avoid being caught. She gave Julie one of her rare smiles.

"Yes, Miss Carteret, you may go," she said. "But two things: first, do not wander on your way back, and second, make to cover yourself. It's a cold night outside."

"Thank you, Professor," said Julie, brightly, before to join her group of friends.

They headed toward the stairs leading to Gryffindor Tower, and Julie was being chastised by her housemates for being so forgetful.

Minerva smiled again.

_Children_, she thought with certain tenderness.

* * *

Julie was hurrying to the locker room, pretty mad at herself for being so air-headed. It was not like she had bought the necklace especially for the ball! And now she had left it in her locker room with her broom, now that the Quidditch season was on hold and that they wouldn't have any practice before the Ball? How stupid was that?

She went in and hastily searched her locker until she found it.

"Aha! There you are, little devil," she said, triumphant.

She then noticed something funny. Even alone she was beginning to speak in English. She chuckled a little at the thought. Soon, her parents would have to teach her French again.

She clasped the necklace around her neck and exited the locker room, making sure it was locked again. As she left the vicinity of the Quidditch pitch and headed back to the Castle, on a hurried step to fight off the cold, she was picturing the necklace around her neck with her new dress for the ball, thinking that it would hopefully make Robert's eyes pop out of his head.

As the castle towers were appearing in sight, she suddenly had a disturbing thought. A memory was rising in her mind: she could see herself put away her locket in her bedside table, and that was after the last practice, she was now certain of it. How was it possible that it was now back in her locker? This was fishy. Her step faltered, as she was suddenly unsure of where the locket had been for the whole week.

How could she have two different memories? And suddenly, she felt it again. That same impression she had gotten during the tryouts, and then after the game. That impression of being watched by hostile eyes…

Except it wasn't a presence anymore, or a shadow. She couldn't believe it was there. She blinked to persuade herself she wasn't asleep, as her eyes were drawn to the edge of the woods.

There, cloaked Wizards were standing, nearly lost in the shadows. Fear claimed her in a second when she saw one of them more clearly. It was the robed forms of her dreams! An immediate sense of threat overcame her. She began to tremble, but forced herself to run, clumsily getting her wand out of her robes.

"Get her!" shouted a voice behind her.

The wizards moved swiftly. All Julie could hear now was the echo of her mother's voice, like in her dream.

"Run!"

* * *

Ian was fuming. Of course Kieran had to whip out a book while he was eating. Of course she had to read by the window. And of course, as soon as their friends would join them in the common room and the room would start to get too hot, she would open the window pane and next she knew, she had dropped her book by the window!

She had looked so distraught that Ian couldn't do anything else than sneak out to retrieve it. Thankfully, the book was bewitched to resist water and, as such, snow. But that still meant that he had to find it at night at the bottom of Ravenclaw tower, in the bushes.

"Do you see it?" asked Kieran's voice, directly above him, from the window.

Ian looked up to see three faces at the window. They were too high for him to make out the details, but he suspected Alba and Mary to be grinning at seeing him down there, looking around in the bushes. Girls had a sadistic streak in Ravenclaw.

"Not yet," he sent back. "Hold on."

he had spotted something in a shadowy corner. He got his wand out, having relied on the lights from the castle and the bright moon over them, so far.

"_Lumos_," he said. "Aha!"

There it was. Ian bent down to grab the book, shook it to get rid of the snow and waved it for the faces at the window.

"Got it!" he said. "Next time, can you shut the window, please, K?"

"Ian! Over there, look?" pointed Kieran.

Ian turned toward the Forest, and saw flashes in the distance. Flashes of spells! He suddenly saw Julie running across the snow, toward the castle, looking panicked. She was chased!

"Get the teachers!" shouted Ian to Kieran, before to start running.

"Ian! Where the hell are you going?" she replied.

There hadn't been any conscious thought. Ian had stopped to think the second he had seen the silhouettes running after Julie. He was sprinting toward Julie, drawing his will and the power of his wand as he was pointing it at the group. He saw one of the silhouette point his wand at Julie's back.

"Julie, get down!" he shouted. "_PROTEGO_!" he shouted, pointing both his hand and his wand before him.

His incantation seemed once more to echo against the whole Castle and the bright shield that appeared between Julie and her chasers nearly knocked them off her feet.

Julie, seeing she wasn't alone anymore, recovered from her panic and ran to join Ian.

"Get behind me," Ian urged her, while maintaining his shield.

Julie did as he said and reacted ever further, when she quickly aimed her wand at the attackers.

"_Expelliarmus_!" she shouted and one of the attackers was disarmed.

"Signal for help!" said Ian, his shield taking several hits by the hooded wizards.

Julie turned her wand skywards and shot red sparks into the air. The teachers always instructed students to do so, if they found themselves in trouble outside, at the beginning of the year. Ian hoped someone would see it, because he could tell that his shield wouldn't last forever and more silhouettes were joining the fight.

* * *

Harry and Ginny had skipped dinner in the great hall. They needed to get ready for their dinner date in Hogsmeade, since Ginny was departing the next day for Austria for her assignment. As they were making their way out of the castle's main gates, Harry was praising Ginny's dress. Not only was it expected, if Harry wanted to be still called a gentleman, but it was also highly justified, tonight. Ginny's dress was simply dazzling.

"I just love that look on you," he said.

"Oh, I know that, Potter," she sniffed with feint smugness. "Why do you think I went for it, on the last night before I leave the country? I intend to make a memory of this evening, so that you won't forget me as soon as I'm gone."

"As if someone could forget a woman like you," said Harry, with a smile.

Ginny chuckled but it died out when she saw a red spark rise into the sky. She pointed it out to Harry.

"Danger, you think?" she asked.

"I don't know, but we have to check it out," he said, getting his wand out of his sleeve.

As they started in the direction of the spark, they were joined by Flitwick and Alexander. The tall chaotician and the tiny professor would have looked almost comical in their pace, if not for their worried expressions.

"Ian is using powerful magic," said Alexander. "And Kieran went to alert Filius."

They all hurried around the Castle to reach the position indicated by the red spark. Harry caught sight of Ian, who had cast a huge shield to protect Julie Carteret and himself from a group of robed and hooded wizards. Alexander and Harry exchanged a quick look before to aim their wands. The spell they both cast suddenly combined into one huge shock wave that went to hit the attacking group. The teacjers and Ginny ran to the two students. Harry could see Ian's sweat on his face as he struggled to maintain his shield. He could also see the deep terror in Julie's eyes.

"_Expelliarmus_!" shouted one of the assailants, but his spell was stopped by the shield.

Alexander raised a hand and his snap of fingers echoed loudly in the night. A sudden wind picked up and struck at the intruders. One of them gave the order to retreat, but Harry stunned the last one to withdraw. He fell in the snow. The apparent leader of the group turned back and raised his wand before to shout.

"_Threando_!"

And a salvo of lightning bolts went to strike at the stunned form of his companion. Then they all disappeared in the shadows of the forest. Alexander was about to rush after them.

"Forget it," Harry called after him. "You'll never catch up with them in this forest. Not at night."

Alexander did nothing to mask his anger, but he nodded nonetheless. Ginny had a smile.

"Since when are you so reasonable?" she asked. "Not that I mind, of course."

"Since we've got two students, who have just been attacked," said Harry, turning to the young boy and girl. "Are you injured?"

Ian had released his shield. The battle strain was visible on his face, but he smiled.

"I'm fine," he said.

"Miss Carteret?" Harry asked the older girl.

"I'm... I'm fine," said Julie, shock clear in her voice.

"Did you see what they were after?" asked Alexander.

"No", Ian replied. "I just saw them chase..."

"They were after me!" Julie cut him. "Just like in my dreams!"

"What are you talking about, Miss Carteret?" asked Flitwick, frowning. "Do you know these men?"

"No," Julie, said, her voice getting restless, closer to a sob. "But I've seen them in my dreams. They keep chasing me in my dreams."

"Well, this one won't be chasing anyone in a long time," said Ginny, who had knelt next to the fallen intruder, who had been left behind.

Harry walked to join her.

"Dead?" he asked.

Ginny nodded and Julie gasped. Ian looked a little shaken, as well. Ginny and Alexander shared a look.

"They wear robes and leave no one behind," said Ginny. "Remind you of someone?"

"Sadly, yes," said Alexander. "They act just like Tanith's followers. But the design of the robes is different."

"We need to find out if they are the same guys," said Harry.

"And we need to find out what they want with her," replied Alexander, with a thoughtful look to Julie.

Predictably, the fight had drawn attention from the castle, if only because it had taken place right under Ravenclaw Tower's windows, with the whole House as a witness. The teaching staff was the first out of the main gates and joined them around the dead wizard. Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape looked rather agitated.

"What happened here?" asked Dumbledore.

"A group of wizards seems to have slipped inside the grounds," said Harry.

"What?" exclaimed McGonagall. "But... what did they want?"

Alexander nodded toward Julie, who had been settled against the nearest wall, where Ginny was kneeling beside her, speaking reassuringly to the young french girl. Ian, sitting next to her, looked pretty concerned for her, as well.

"Julie says they were after her," explained Alexander. "She also says that she had dreams about them.."

"Dreams?" said Snape. "Is the girl prescient, now?" What proof is thereto claim she was the target?"

Harry loathed the moments, thankfully rare enough, when he agreed with Severus Snape, but he could only nod at that. The question was legitimate. But Dumbledore had a curious look, where tension could be seen.

"It's better we reserve this for a later, less public discussion," he said. "Are there any injury?"

"Fortunately, no," said Harry. "Ian showed up in time to protect Julie and buy us the time to arrive."

"Ian? Is that so?" noted Dumbledore.

"I wonder what Malcolm was doing outside the castle at this hour," said Snape, dryly. "The same could be asked about Miss Carteret, actually."

"Miss Carteret went to the Quidditch locker to retrieve some personal belongings," said Professor McGonagall. "She came to me about it, asking for my permission, which I granted, given it wasn't exceedingly late. As for Mr Malcolm..."

"Ian!" suddenly called Alexander, surprising them all. "Get over here!"

Ian jumped on his feet an ran to meet the teachers. He stood there, his eyes on them in a silent question.

"You mind telling us what you were doing out there?" asked Alexander. "The truth, please?"

Ian had a little smile before to answer.

"Kieran dropped a book from her window," said Ian. "I volunteered to come down and retrieve it."

"How chivalrous," said Snape, sarcastically. "Did you happen to find that book?"

Ian got the book out of his robes.

"Yep," he said. "I was on my way back when all hell broke loose over there. Kieran saw it and pointed it to me", he said, indicating the spot where the battle had taken place. "Why?"

"You don't get to ask questions, Malcolm," said Snape.

"Enough," said Alexander. "I don't think Ian needs any kind of reprimand, here. He was out, doing a favour to a friend, and his actions seem to have saved Miss Carteret's life. Thanks are in order, don't you think, Professor?"

He held Snape's gaze as he spoke, and the potions master chose not to retort.

"Indeed, Mr Malcolm," said Dumbledore, with a kind smile. "I add my thanks as well, and that will be thirty points to Ravenclaw, for your quick thinking and your courage."

"Oh," said Ian. "I... was … kinda hoping we could keep that discrete..."

"With an audience like this?" noted Harry. "Not a chance."

He was pointing at the windows of the tower over them, where faces were fighting to get a glimpse of what was going on. A small crowd of students had also gathered near the gates, trying to see what was going on. Harry smiled at the blush that appeared on Ian's face, as he realised he had been seen by everyone.

Ginny walked by them, helping Julie, who still looked under the shock of what had happened, to walk toward the gates.

"I'm taking her to Madam Pomfrey," she said.

"We may have questions," objected Snape.

"Well, they will have to wait," said Ginny, curtly. "The girl can barely stand."

"You're a tolerated guest, here," retorted Snape. "You don't get to decide..."

"Oh, will you back off, Snape!" exclaimed Harry. "The girl needs to be looked over by Madam Pomfrey. If you have questions, I do believe you know where to find the Hospital wing, don't you?"

Ginny had a smile at Snape's withering look . She took Julie's hand.

"Come on, young lady," she encouraged her. "Off we go."

She reminded Harry so much of her mother Molly that he just had to smile a little wider. Hermione, who had joined them, also saw it and chuckled. Ron, who was behind her, winked at Harry.

Before to go, Julie turned to Ian.

"You saved me," she said, in awe.

"Er... I..." stammered Ian.

But Julie didn't let him finish any sentence he was attempting to make. She caught him in a fierce hug.

"Thank you!" she exclaimed.

She seemed to be finally calming down. Ian, on the other hand, was losing his composure as seconds passed., turning redder and redder. The whooping sounds from the students either at the gates or the windows over them didn't help. After the hug ended, Ginny escorted Julie toward the castle's security with a knowing look.

"She'll be alright," said Harry.

"Probably," said Alexander. "Let's hope my dear apprentice survives his first attempt at heroics. He looks about to faint, right now."

"Not funny, Alexander," grumbled Ian, still a good shade of red.

Alexander ruffled his hair with a smile.

"That's a good job, Ian," he said. "Why don't you bring back her book to Kieran and get some sleep? We'll talk about this in the morning."

Ian nodded and headed for the inside of the Castle, but Harry could see he was a little weak in the knees. Alexander was about to go help him when Phyllis, who had watched all this from afar, waved him off and went to help Ian, mouthing "I've got this" to her husband. Alexander nodded and smiled, focusing back on the attack. Harry did the same and went to kneel beside the dead wizard. He still had a comment, though.

"Escorted home by a gorgeous redhead," he said. "That's the dream."

"I hear you," chuckled Alexander.

"Oh, absolutely," added Hermione, with a grin.

"Do you mind?" groaned Ron.

They had a snort of laughter and focused on the deceased. His robes were fairly simple in design but a few details were very elaborate and the sewing was very recent. They were meant to look ancient, but with modern fabric. The belt buckle was also interesting, shaped like an antique, but brand new. The symbol on the buckle looked like a tower illuminated. Harry had never seen it before. The face of the dead intruder was nondescript, cleanly shaven, and without the many scars one would usually see in a mercenary, for example. He didn't look like the regular wand-for-hire. The similarity of the robes with the ones worn by the followers of Tanith McAllister once again hit Harry and he wonder if they were confronted to a sort of cult, again. The man decidedly didn't look like a common thug. The spell that had killed him was unknown to Harry. It had looked like a very powerful shocking spell, a lethal twist of the original. And the language of the incantation was unlike anything he had heard before.

The surroundings of the corpse revealed nothing and Harry concluded there was nothing else to learn from this place. Alexander seemed to come to the same conclusion.

"Minerva," he said. "I think we need to make sure every student is back in their common room, before we move our 'prisoner"."

Professor McGonagall nodded at that, and went back inside with Snape and Flitwick in tow. Professor Sprout, who had been waiting at the gates, followed them. They ushered the curious student back inside on a tone that would suffer no discussion. Harry didn't think that there was a need for children to gaze upon a dead body being brought inside.

As soon as the students were out of sight, Harry and Alexander levitated the corpse into the entrance hall, and led it to the laboratory, down in the dungeon, next to Snape's study. It was out of bounds for students, so there wouldn't be any unsavory snooping.

As they went, Harry caught a glimpse of Dumbledore's face. His old mentor looked worried, and he had been especially silent during the examination of the dead body. Harry somehow had this feeling he didn't like, that Dumbledore knew more than what he was telling. And it brought back bad memories.

* * *

The next meeting was at eight in the morning, and it gathered most of the staff in Dumbledore's office. All lessons had been put on hold for the moment in the regard to the attack.

Harry and Alexander had spent the entire night studying the dead wizard. It had given them no new information. His wand had been broken, which prevented any identification.

This was suspicious, at best. These people had gone to great lengths to cover their tracks. Somehow, it meant they couldn't act in the open. Whether that meant they wouldn't try another attack or not remained to be seen.

But the teachers needed information.

"I'm sorry I kept you in the dark about this," said Dumbledore, as a preamble. "Discretion seemed prudent, in this case."

"Discretion about what?" asked Harry.

"Miss Carteret's presence in Hogwarts isn't as random as you were led to believe," said Dumbledore. "I've been contacted in early July by Aldwyn Armstrong. He had received a letter from Julie's parents. In the months right after the war against Grindelwald, Aldwyn myself and another friend, were asked by a french acquaintance of Aldwyn's to help his family. They were targeted by a group of unidentified wizards. We managed to catch up with them in time and we saved the man, his wife and their baby. We escorted them to the family home of their Uncle and put the family under the Fidelius charm. The letter Aldwyn received was from that man's granddaughter, Julie's mother. She feared that the security at Beaubâtons wasn't enough for her daughter. I offered Olympe Maxime to take Julie in Hogwarts, while Aldwyn made sure everything was safe for the family. He has sent me a few reports and it seemed that Julie's mother's fears were unfounded."

"You mean until last night," said Harry.

"I mean until last night," said Dumbledore. "I'll admit I'm not certain of my memories about these robes our intruder wore, but they look similar to the ones worn by the wizard I faced back then."

"So the same guys tracked Julie down decades after attacking her ancestors?" said Harry. "Why?"

"I do not know," said Dumbledore. "We failed to track down the group back in 1943. But it seemed they were after the baby, not the parents. I think it means they are after the last born of the line, but that's speculation on my part."

"That's a thin reasoning," said Alexander.

"I'm considering the worst case scenario," admitted Dumbledore. "This attack simply can't be random, because the odds of the same group attacking two members of the same family, with decades in between is just too much of a coincidence. I guess I cannot fathom the reason they have to try and capture her;"

"Anyway, Julie is a target," said Alexander. "Does she know it?"

"No," said Dumbledore. "But the dreams she mentioned show that she has some knowledge about it. Whether the dreams are repressed memories or visions needs to be determined."

"We need to tell her," said Harry.

"I'm not sure..." began McGonagall, her first reflex being to protect her student.

"Harry is right," said Alexander, firmly. "After this attack, she will be suspicious if we keep her in the dark. And if we are to ensure her safety, we need her to trust us, especially if we tell her that she is not to leave the castle until we secure the wards around the grounds. And even after that, she may be safer inside the grounds."

"That is only prudent," said Snape, without underlining the fact he agreed with Alexander, a fact rare enough.

"I will talk to her," said Dumbledore. "In the meantime, we must focus on identifying this wizard and find out more about their motive. And we need to understand how they managed yesterday's attack."

"Yes," said Harry. "Because it means they broke through the wards of Hogwarts, which is no small task."

"It does also seem a little convenient that Miss Carteret just happened to walk out of the Castle, in time to be attacked," said Snape. "How did they know she would be out? Even if they were hiding in the woods, they couldn't stay there too long, before to be spotted by the centaur tribes, or by Werewolves. They needed to make sure they had the right target before to expose themselves."

Harry nodded.

"He's right, it's too much of a perfect fit," he said. "They must have had inside help."

"But I can't believe anyone would help in the kidnapping of a fellow student," said McGonagall, shocked.

"Maybe not willingly," said Harry, thoughfully.

* * *

Julie was summoned to the Headmaster's office and was escorted there by Professors Lockenburn and Potter, right after breakfast. She was still a little shaken by the whole ordeal, but she was unharmed and she was starting to regain her nerves.

As she climbed up the stairs leading to Albus Dumbledore's office, she was trying to sort out what she could recall from the previous night. When she got there, after finding herself in a stair that climbed on its own, hidden behind a gargoyle's statue she was distracted for a moment by the sight offered by the office. The room was amazing, but the thing that caught her eye was a magnificent bird, perched near a bookshelf. The bird was looking down at her with kind eyes, cooing softly.

"That's Fawkes," said Professor Potter. "He's the Headmaster's personal phoenix. Don't worry, he has that effect on everyone," he added with a smile, seeing the awe on Julie's face.

Julie realised that she had been gaping at the bird and got a grip on herself before to take a seat facing Dumbledore's desk, at his invitation.

"How are you feeling, Miss Carteret?" asked the Headmaster.

"I'm alright," said Julie. "Though I guess I'm still a little tense, that's all."

"Hardly something one would blame you for," said Dumbledore." I'll be very direct with you, Miss Carteret. You may not be aware of it, but it is not the first time your family has encountered this group of wizards that attacked you last night. Whoever they are, they were trying to take you, personally. I have been in contact with your families years ago, when wizards wearing the same robes as your assailants tried to abduct your grandfather, when he was a baby. Your family has been kept safe since then, but we never could track down those responsible. It seems they have decided to try and take you, now. Your family is safe. They are under the protection of a very powerful charm, and no one hostile can find them. We must consider your own safety, though."

Julie was about to ask a thousand questions but somehow, all the fragments of her dreams, her mother telling her to run, the image of herself being chased or chained, all rushed back into her mind.

"So... My dreams," she began.

"Yes?" Dumbledore encouraged her.

"For years, I have dreamed about these wizards, trying to capture me," she explained. "So it is all true, then?"

"I'm afraid it is," said Dumbledore. "What do you remember of these dreams?"

"Fragments," said Julie, putting a hand over her eyes. "Scenes... but it doesn't make sense. In some scenes, I'm a little girl, and in others, I'm an adult. But I can't remember anything like that happening to me when I was little. How can I dream of something that hasn't happened?"

Dumbledore appeared meditative.

"I'll have to think it over," he finally said. "The most pressing matter is to ensure your safety. I trust you to understand that you are not to leave the school grounds for the moment. We are securing them, as I speak, so that the intrusion of last night won't reoccur. Once it is done, you should be free to move around, as long as you stay within the boundaries of Hogwarts."

Julie nodded, convinced that it was only prudent.

"I've written to your parents," Dumbledore went on, "to inform them of what has happened. I have advised them to settle back in your family home in Brittany. It is protected by very powerful enchantments. Since the attack is still very fresh, I'd recommend you stay at school for the Christmas break."

Julie nodded again, feeling a little disappointed that she wouldn't be able to see her family, but again, she was surrendering to the obvious notion that this was the safest course of action.

"Now, concerning yesterday," Professor Potter took over. "Why were you outside the Castle?"

"I... I was just going down to the Quidditch locker," said Julie, a little worried.

"We're not putting any blame on you, Julie," Potter said immediately. "But we need to determine what brought you out there and how your attackers could have predicted it."

"Oh," said Julie, regaining her composure. "I was looking of a locket that I had left in my locker. I couldn't find it in my room so I went to search for it. I want to wear it for the Ball, and..."

Julie stopped, once more seized by that strange impression regarding the jewel, and the conflicting memories about where she had left it. Maybe it was relevant, but she wasn't sure. Potter seemed to see her trouble.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Well, when I got it back, I had a strange feeling, like I was remembering that it had been in my room all along," said Julie. "The moment I found it in the locker, I put it back on, but minutes later, I would have sworn I could remember putting it away in my bedside table. I... I know it doesn't make any sense."

"Are you sure it was supposed to be in your room?" insisted Potter.

"Now that I think of it, I'm pretty sure," said Julie, nodding.

"Do you have it on you?" asked Professor Lockenburn.

Julie unclasped it from her neck and held it out to him. The Entropist didn't touch it, but it levitated out of her hand, and his eyes went a little distant.

"Where did you get it?" he asked, at some point.

"Hogsmeade," said Julie. "I bought especially for the ball."

"Alexander?" asked Professor McGonagall, a little tense.

"It's bewitched," said Lockenburn, darkly.

"What?" exclaimed Julie.

"Very subtle," he went on. "The spell makes the locket appealing to you. When you walked beside it, you felt the need to buy it. It means that either they know you enough to target their spell on you, or they were watching you during the Hogsmeade trip."

"And how did it end in the locker?" asked Potter.

"It didn't," said Lockenburn. "It's pretty clever. Once the locket has been purchased, the spell changed when Julie started to wear it. At some point, it persuaded you that you had put it away, but you had simply put it in your pocket. It's not unheard of. Muggle baiters do it all the time with keys that go missing, but that were in your pocket all along. Once you had 'lost' it, you were persuaded to want it back, and you were drawn to the Quidditch locker, which was outside the Castle. It was a way to expose yourself. I guess it can be triggered from a distance. They slipped in the grounds, activated the locket and you walked out to meet them."

Julie was astonished. It meant the attack had been carefully planned. It meant being watched even in school. She thought back to her impression near the Quidditch pitch after the tryouts.

"I've had the feeling of being watched," she said, weakly.

"When?" asked Potter.

"Right after the tryouts," she explained. "I wasn't sure, so I didn't report it. I... Kenneth... He told me he had felt it as well, but I didn't want to rush to the teachers without something more solid. And it happened again a the first game. It was coming from the forest. It was... something hostile."

"Tryouts and games are the only moments when we allow outsiders on the grounds," said Dumbledore. "Scouts for teams, the press. That's probably how they found out you were on the team. They planted the jewel during the Hogsmeade trip, and made the spell so that it would lead you to your locker. They could have been there at the game to ensure you had it on you."

"But if they managed to set this up between the tryouts and the game, they must have suspected I was in Hogwarts in the first place," said, Julie, before to realise how bold it was.

But Professor Potter had a smile.

"Very good, Julie," he said, as if commenting on a spell in his class. "You're right. Was Julie's transfer public knowledge?" he asked Dumbledore.

"I only notified the Ministry," said the headmaster. "Of course, students write to their parents, and they could have told them a french student had arrived, but that would be too random to alert these wizards. It's more likely they have contacts in the Ministry."

Julie's eyes widened.

"But what do they want with me?" she asked, almost pleadingly. "I mean... I'm nothing special!"

"That's out main concern," said Dumbledore. "As I've been told, your family isn't involved in politics, or particularly famous, back in France. May I ask what your parents do for a living?"

"My Mom designs spells for home decoration," said Julie. "My Dad is a pilot. He's a muggle."

"He's a pilot?" said Potter. "Flying planes?"

Julie nodded.

"Cool," muttered the teacher with a smile.

"Aren't planes these noisy things the muggles use to fly?" asked Alexander.

"Yes," said Harry. "I fail to see how it could be interesting for these intruders," said Harry. "Besides, they attacked your grandfather and his parents fifty years ago. I'm sure it has nothing to do with your parent's job."

"These men seem to be interested in the bloodline. I remember that they were targeting the child specifically, when we faced them," explained Dumbledore to Julie, who was even more shocked as he went on. "We need to know what your family has that would attract these men. Are you aware of any enemies?"

Julie shook her head. For her, her parents were the nicest, most ordinary parents in the world. And her family was large, but pretty common, as far as wizards went. She suddenly caught a look from Lockenburn.

"What is that?" he asked. "That ear-ring?"

Julie was stunned. Her ear-ring? But Lockenburn was indeed pointing at her right ear.

"That? It's been in my family forever," she said. "Why?"

"May I see it?" asked Lockenburn.

Puzzled, Julie took off the ear-ring and passed it to him. Again, like with the locket, he examined it very thoroughly. His expression became very meditative.

"It's very distinctive," he said. "It is an ancient piece. There is a subtle magic within it. It's nothing harmful, it's more a sign of identity. Do you know anything about it?"

Julie was hesitant.

"I... my mother offered it to me when I got my first ear-rings," she said ."She said, the pair has been separated. I wear one, and a cousin of mine has the other. It's a family tradition."

"I see," said Lockenburn. "It may be significant. May I keep it for a while?"

Julie nodded.

"You think there are answers there?" asked Dumbledore.

"Given we're completely in the dark, here, I'd take any lead I can get," said Lockenburn.

He then held up the locket and seemed to focus on it, for a while. There was a sudden flash of light.

"If you want to get the locket back, I have made sure that no magic remains on it," said Lockenburn.

Julie shook her head, now repulsed at the mere thought of looking at this locket again. Now that the spell was apparently lifted, the locket looked rather ordinary, and had lost this kind of connection to her. And it had come to represent the menace on her security. The teachers seemed to feel her unease.

"I can assure you we will keep you safe," said Dumbledore, with a reassuring smile.

"Thank you, Professor," said Julie.

"Hopefully, now that we have been made aware of the threat, we won't have to rely on students to protect you," said Lockenburn with a wry smile.

"Will Ian be alright, Sir? He looked a little weak, yesterday," said Julie.

"Well, he was exhausted, but he should be fine this morning," said Lockenburn. "Damn kid."

"Oh, but he was so brave," protested Julie. "Surely he can't get into trouble over this..."

Lockenburn chuckled at that.

"He won't be, Miss Carteret," said the Entropist. "Not really. It's just that I feel that Ian may be a little too brave for his own good. I was hoping, with him being in Ravenclaw, that the kid would be staying clear from trouble, but he seems dedicated to prove me wrong."

"Well, at least, with a Ravenclaw, we can hope that he will have as much brains as he has guts," said Professor Potter, grinning.

"Not helping, Potter," grumbled Lockenburn.

The green eyed wizard only chuckled at that, and Julie felt strangely reassured by the twinkling of amusement she could see in both Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall's eyes. These people weren't only her teachers, but they were living legends of the Wizarding world; they had gone through war and they had managed to protect a whole school against Voldemort. If they were looking after her, she could feel reasonably safe. The sense of threat was still there, but she somehow knew that whoever wanted to abduct her, they would have to go through them. That meant something.

Here in Hogwarts, she had people to protect her.

* * *

Of course, the attack on Julie was the only thing people were talking about in the four common rooms, while the teachers were talking with Julie in Dumbledore's office. Ian was the best news spreading force in the school, except when it was about him. So he had hoped to hush up the whole thing. But an event like that had a life of its own, and no matter how hard he could try, there was no way Ian could make the entire school forget that he had just saved the life of a fifth year student. The whole of Ravenclaw was praising their new hero. Kieran and his friends were laughing their head off at Ian's embarrassment, which was so obvious. Older students came to talk to him, saying how impressed they had been to hear he had cast a shielding charm powerful enough to block several curses. Younger students came to ask for his autograph, which had for immediate effect to make Ian flee the common room. Kieran, although she laughed at his reaction, still stated that she was awfully proud of her best friend.

If Ian hoped that the praise would stop at the House of Ravenclaw, he was in for a serious disappointment. When the lessons resumed and he entered a lesson shared with the Hufflepuffs, they all clapped at his entrance in the classroom. When Ian ran into the Gryffindors, they all came to express their thanks, since Julie was one of them. Terry winked at him each time one of his house-mates came to congratulate Ian or to thank him.

Even some Slytherins, Robert Donahue the first in line, came to acknowledge his accomplishment, Donahue being the most enthusiastic about it, since Ian had saved his girlfriend. But younger students came to salute his deed, including Janet Spencer, the fifth year prefect, and a few younger students. Macke was conspicuously absent from that number, which came as no surprise for Ian and his friends.

So there seemed to be no end to Ian's blushing, for the few next days. But Ian was to discover that fame was a fleeting thing. The thing was, as heroic as he had been, and as relieved as everyone was in the school, there was still a Ball coming up, and soon, the speculation and the very excited whisperings about the couples that would attend it started to eclipse the memory of the attack from the student body.

Of course the teachers were focused on Julie's security, as Ian found out by spying on Alexander's office once more. But Ian's schoolmates were starting to focus more on the greatest party that Hogwarts would have seen in years. He couldn't say that he minded, to be honest. The less the focus was on him, the better. It was no good for a spy and a gossip monger to be the centre of too much attention for too long.

But there was to be one last student to mention the incident, and it came as a surprise to Ian.

That Wednesday evening, right after the lessons had ended, as he was enjoying some peace and quiet in the promenade around the courtyard that was snowed in, Ian saw Kenneth Lionheart come to sit beside him. The fifth year looked troubled, as if he was torn between two conflicting emotions. He seemed to hesitate for a while, before to finally speak up.

"I wanted ask you something," he said. "I know you listen to everything that goes on in the school."

"Pretty much everything, yes," admitted Ian, with a false modest tone, that made Kenneth smile tensely.

"Alright," he said. "So about the attack on Julie... Can you tell me who these guys were?"

"Why do you want to know?" asked Ian, sincerely surprised. "Last I heard, you and Julie aren't on the best of terms."

"I know," said Kenneth. "I'm... still pissed at her, but... She was in real danger, and if I can help..."

Ian wanted to scoff at the idea at first, and then he realised that Kenneth was maybe among the few who could actually do something to protect Julie. He was a Wandmaster, after all, and Ian suspected that the demonstration he had given the school against Donahue was but a part of his potential. It could be a good thing to have a guy like him near Julie, ready in case of trouble.

"Well, to be honest," Ian finally said, "the teachers don't know much about it. They know Julie is targeted because of her family. The guys seem to be some sort of cult. What they want with her, or why they target her specifically, they don't have a clue about it."

"But you think, they could try again," said Kenneth.

"It's possible," said Ian. "For the moment, Julie isn't supposed to leave the grounds, not even for Christmas."

"I see," said Kenneth. "Look, can you... keep me posted on what you hear? In case..."

Ian only nodded.

"But if I may," he said. "You protecting her could be more efficient, if you... I don't know... talked to her."

"Well, I will be the one to worry about this," said Kenneth, dryly.

"Oooh," said Ian,with a wince. "Touchy."

"Sorry," said Kenneth. "I've got a lot on my mind, lately."

"I guess you have," said Ian, with a smile. "Going to the Ball?"

"I don't think so," said Kenneth.

"What? But... why?" asked Ian.

"I don't care much for... whatever," said Kenneth. "I'm not in the mood to party, these days."

"Oh," said Ian.

Kenneth got up.

"Anyway," he said. "If you hear anything that I should know about..."

"I'll come to you," said Ian. "Sure."

Kenneth nodded and walked away in the snow, leaving a thoughtful Ian behind. Ian wondered, no matter how brave and selfless Wandmasters were supposed to act, how much of Kenneth's interest in the situation came from a real care for Julie. Ian had eyes, and he had seen the reaction of Kenneth the first time he had seen Julie. Ian was pretty convinced that Kenneth had a crush on her. And despite her siding with Donahue and basically dating his worst enemy in the entire school, Kenneth was still willing to put himself at risk to help protect her? Ian doubted he would be so noble, if faced with the same choice. But maybe that was why he wasn't in Gryffindor.

* * *

_The woman was breathtakingly beautiful. Pearly white skin, a slender form, clear blue eyes and raven hair. She was dressed in a clear white dress. The vision she offered would have been dazzling if it hadn't been ruined by the blood splattered all over her robes, some of it had even spilled on her perfect face. The clear eyes glinted in fury, as she turned on herself to look around her. Death was all around. A dozen people were lying there, in pools of blood. The wand in her hand still glowed from the last curse she had cast. She was the one who had done this. She had slaughtered all of these men. The smile that formed on her lips was terrifying. It was as if she had found a great justification at what she had just done. And suddenly, the smile faltered, and she looked around, falling on her knees, tears starting to smear her face and mingle with the blood. She raised her eyes to the ceiling of the darkened room and let out a cry of terrible despair._

Julie's eyes shot open. She sat up quickly in her bed and look outside, seeing that the moon was still clear in the night sky. Morning wasn't here, yet.

"Julie?" came the whisper from Kalindra's bed. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," she said. "Just a bad dream."

She heard her friend climb out of her bed and she appeared through the curtains of Her four poster bed. Kalindra climbed on the bed to sit facing Julie.

"What was it?" she asked.

"You're interested in my dreams?" said Julie.

"Well, you dreamed of the guys who attacked you," said Kalindra. "And someone did try to kidnap you. I'm just making sure you're not getting too much nightmares."

Julie smiled.

"Thanks," said Julie. "I'm not sure what to make of what I saw. It's not really clear in my mind. Something about a woman... killing people?"

"Whoa," said Kalindra. "Seriously? Someone we know?"

"No," said Julie. "But she frightens me. Simply to look at her, it's... scary. I don't know what to do, Kallie," she said. "I... How do I go on with that hanging over my head?"

"You should try to forget it for the moment," said Kalindra. "I mean, the teachers said the school is safe for you, now. Try to clear your head from this for a while. And then, when you confront it again, it may seem a little easier."

"You mean the Ball," said Julie.

"Well, that's a way to cheer you up, right?" said Kalindra with a smile. "Going to dance with a handsome guy."

"I thought Robert wasn't in your good graces anymore," said Julie.

"Yeah, well," said Kalindra. "He's been a jerk with Kenneth, but he got what he deserved. And I can't deny that he's gorgeous."

"Well, your own partner isn't so bad, himself," said Julie, with a cunning smile.

"You mean he's yummy," said Kalindra, before to be shushed by Julie's chuckle.

Julie was amused. Kalindra had been ostensibly cursing after the boys of Gryffindor since Julie had gotten in the school, but it had been hiding something else that Julie thought to be the only girl in their year to suspect. She guessed Kenneth had seen it for a long time, being so close a friend to Kalindra. The truth was: Kalindra Jonhson had a huge crush on Rob Drakefang. It was relatively new, though. In the years before, Rob had been a small boy, with a delicate frame. Starting in the summer before their fourth year, Rob had suddenly grown and matured over a year. And what had been a close friendship between Rob and Kalindra had turned into a crush on the tall girl's side. She had chosen to keep her change of heart a secret for the moment, but Julie had caught the signs quickly, being new to the school and having a fresh eye on things. Kalindra had decided not to deny it. She even confided in Julie, relieved to find an ear that could understand more of her trouble about it. Kenneth was still a boy and there were a few things you just couldn't tell a boy, no matter how close he was.

The thing was, as strong and handsome as Rob was now, he was no Casanova. And Kalindra knew that if she wanted Rob Drakefang, she'd have to go get him. And she had revealed that, regarding Rob, she had a plan.

Julie knew for a fact how these two had come to be partners for the Ball. Kalindra had simply told Kenneth to inform Rob that if he didn't ask her for the Ball, there would be hell to pay. Rob had invited her the very next evening.

"So I won't offence my partner by my way of dancing," he had said. "You're my friend, you'll forgive me more easily."

"Don't count on that forgiveness, Drakefang," had answered Kalindra with a smile, while accepting.

Julie knew better, of course. She knew that Kalindra had a clear idea in her head. The Ball would be her chance to show Rob that she was not a little girl anymore. Julie felt it was a little useless, because she was certain that Kalindra's feelings for Rob were requited. But her friend was convinced that Rob just didn't see her as a potential date. She planned on using this evening to change his outlook on things. Julie wasn't surprised that Kenneth had been involved in Kalindra's merciless conquest of Rob Drakefang either.

To think of Kenneth once more sobered her excellent mood. If only the boy would talk to her! He was still clearly avoiding her, even isolating himself from the others in doing so. The Gryffindor fifth year was tied between siding with him and forgiving Julie for her mistake. The Ball was a clear truce, except for Kenneth, who had been missing for most of the evening's preparations.

"So, I say," Kalindra went on, breaking through Julie's train of thoughts. "You go to the Ball, you have a fantastic evening and you worry about hooded guys later, right? There will be a time for this."

"I appreciate the thought," said Julie. "But what if..."

"Look, Julie," said Kalindra. "With 'what ifs', you'd build a Quidditch pitch on the moon. Think about it: your parents had it right. They sent you in the one place where you would be safe! I mean, Hogwarts! The teachers are war heroes, and among the finest wizards the world has ever seen. You're being watched over by Harry freaking Potter! And when these guys came after you, they got their asses kicked by a third year! Where would you be safer?"

Julie laughed in spite of herself.

"Besides, they haven't seen all the cards in our sleeve," said Kalindra. "I mean, wait until Kenneth begins to act as your bodyguard."

"It's unlikely he'll do that, since he hates my guts," said Julie.

"Oh, Julie, he doesn't hate your guts," said Kalindra with a smile. "He's just still a little upset about the duel. He'll come around. I know him, okay? I've known him since he was a kid. He still cares about you. That's exactly why he avoids you."

"Is that supposed to make sense?" asked Julie.

"Yes, in a twisted, noble way," said Kalindra. "I know Kenneth, as I said. And when he despises someone, he can talk to them. He'll be snappish, he'll be sarcastic. He'll hit them with a few piques here and there. He hasn't done any of that with you. He's just avoiding you. Because he knows that, right now, if he talks to you, he'll be awfully harsh and rude, and he'll lose your friendship for good. So he's staying away, until he's cooled down. Then he'll stop being a prat and accept your apology. And by that time, you'll have a freaking Wandmaster in your close circle of friends to watch over you."

Julie couldn't help but smile.

"You really think so?" she said.

"I know so," said Kalindra. "Give it a little more time. And if he doesn't speak to you after the Christmas Break, you leave it to me. I'll smack some sense into him."

Julie laughed. She hoped that Kalindra was right and that this situation with Kenneth wouldn't last.

* * *

It was Friday before the Ball, so the party was back on the top of all the subjects of discussion. Girls were, as Ian had foreseen it, giggling everywhere in the Castle, speaking excitedly about their partner. Ian found this very annoying after two days of wandering in the Castle, surrounded by giggling fourth years. He took Kieran as a witness.

"Honestly, as if this Ball was so important. There has been a student attack and they only think about dancing and making out."

Kieran smirked, but didn't say a word. She did find the attitude of the girls amusing.

"Hey, this is a good way to dissipate tensions," said Terry. "I wouldn't have minded having a blast of an evening with one of you fine looking ladies," he added casually, with a wink to Kieran, Morag and Alba, who rolled her eyes.

"Oh, Terry, you're such a gentleman," said Morag with an exaggerated sigh, and feigning to have stars in her eyes.

"And it means a lot to me, that you finally admit it," said Terry, sounding pleased.

"I was being sarcastic, Terry," said Morag, her face going back to straight.

"Well, so was I, but I guess I was subtler at it than you, dear," retorted Terry, with a winning grin. "And score two for Gryffindor!" he exclaimed.

"And deduce three for the childish triumph," said Kieran, rolling her eyes.

"What?! No!" protested Terry.

"Oh, yeah," said Morag. "Try to quit when you're ahead, next time."

"Aw, come ON!" groaned Terry.

"Defeated, mate," said Ian with a shrug.

"I guess," admitted Terry. "Anyway, since Alba has sworn off boyfriends forever and Morag is just being mean to me, let me tell you the guy who will take you to your first ball will be a lucky bloke, K."

Ian rolled his eyes, as Kieran chuckled lightly. He didn't know how to react to this. Whenever Terry would play his flirting game with the girls, he would be suitably amused. But lately, he had begun to feel a little differently about Terry's flirting with Kieran. And he couldn't decipher the attitude of Kieran toward it. She seemed to enjoy their banter, which kind of worried Ian, for a reason he couldn't fathom, but she didn't seem to be really taking it seriously, which reassured him.

"As if she would go with you, Longwand," he finally said. "She can do a thousand times better."

Terry took a feint offended face.

"She could do a thousand times worse, too," he said. "Did you hear he rumours about the 'star couple'?"

"Yeah," said Joel, disgusted. "Julie and Donahue. I may just vomit."

Terry nodded darkly. Like Ian, he didn't like the tall Slytherin prefect. And the idea of a girl like this with an awful git like Donahue was making the three boys sick.

They were discussing it, when they entered the Entrance Hall, heading for the great Hall.

Ian suddenly felt something going wrong inside of him. He looked around, panicked. He could feel the huge wave of energy coming from inside roaring in his veins. _Oh, no_, He thought. _Not again!_

"What?" asked Kieran, looking worried. "What is it, Ian?"

"Something's wrong, I…"

He couldn't go on. He suddenly dropped on the floor, and his eyes suddenly burst out blue flames. A huge shockwave erupted from him and shook the whole place about. The walls trembled again, and suddenly, a pillar detached from the ceiling. It rocked threateningly, and plunged right at Kieran and Joel.

"Hit the ground!" shouted Terry, pushing his friends out of the way.

Ian raised his eyes to the pillar.

"NO!" he shouted.

The pillar stopped just before it crushed the three of them. Terry had the reflexes to get his friends on their feet, and to get them out of the range of the falling stone. Ian then collapsed on the floor, and so did the pillar. It shattered on the floor, with a thundering noise, and a huge cloud of dust.

When Ian's vision cleared, he could see his three friends from the other side of the pillar. They were unhurt. He felt relieved and got on his feet. But then he noticed the other people gathering around them. And all the eyes that were fixed on him.

Ian turned around, looking at the faces that were staring at him.

"Stop," he said, on a strangely pleading tone.

But the faces were getting paler. Ian felt a surge of panic run through him. No, not again.

"Stop looking at me like that!" he pleaded. "Please stop."

"What have you done, Freak?" exclaimed Macke, on a triumphal tone. "Hurting your own friends, now?"

"No," said Ian, shaking his head very nervously. "It was an accident… an accident!"

"You don't even take care of the ones who give you the charity of their friendship," said Macke mockingly. " I wonder what you do in this school. You should be locked away by the Unspeakables, freak!"

Ian hardly noticed Kieran and Terry pull out their wand while standing up and point it straight at Macke.

"Now, you shut up, Timothy," said Kieran, on a very menacing tone. "And you beat it!"

Macke glared at her.

"Now!" she barked suddenly.

"And all of you, by the way," snapped Terry. "You stop to bother my friend, right now!"

But Ian, didn't hear it. The only things he could hear was the words echoing in his mind.

_Hurting your own friends… Freak… Hurting your own friends… Locked by the Unspeakables._

Suddenly he couldn't take it anymore. He began to ran, walking out of the Castle as fast as he could. He was running away from all of this. Away from the fear, away from the mockeries. Away from his friends. He heard Kieran call after him, but he didn't stop.

He only stopped when he reached the banks of the lakes. He turned his face to the sky and screamed with all the despair he felt inside of him. His cry echoed strangely in the sky. And suddenly, thunder answered to it. And some bolt of lightning shot through the sky. It hit the center of the lake, making the thick ice layer explode.

Ian felt on his knees in the snow, crying freely, now.

It took a long time, before he heard a familiar voice speak to him. A hand on his shoulder. And reassuring words, he was only half hearing.

The trouble was that Ian didn't believe them any more. He knew that Alexander wanted to help him. But even his professor couldn't do anything about it.

He was exactly what Macke was saying, a monster… Nature's Mistake… A Freak.


	13. The Joys of Youth

_Since the world doesn't seem to show signs of ending any time soon, I don' t have any excuse left and so here is an update. This new chapter has been heavily revised compared to the previous version, written in 2004. I hope that was worth it. don't hesitate to let me know what you think._

* * *

**The joys of Youth**

* * *

The saying went 'as above, so below'. The incident with Ian's magic didn't stay secret for too long. Of course, Macke was pretty fast at catching that ball. He had been very quick to underline that it wasn't the first time Ian had lost control over his so-called 'superior magic'. He had made short work of reminding everyone of the shaking walls back in November and the day he had floated in the courtyard sending light around him. So of course, he had saved a student, but what was to say his next move wouldn't be to blow the great Hall up, injuring a few students in the process? Should such an unstable wizard really be allowed to continue his studies with proper wizards?

A few things annoyed Ian beyond recognition about this. First, he had never claimed to have a superior magic, and he could take his friends as witnesses for that. That was just Mack playing jealous. Second, emitting light in the courtyard wasn't such a terrible act, so why was all the morons listening to Macke worried about that? And last, Ian was pretty angry that Macke was using him as an excuse to spread his venom about 'proper wizards', because Ian had no doubt that by this, he meant 'pureblood wizards', which was odious in itself, and also stupid because Ian was actually a pureblood.

But still, as idiotic as Macke's whispers were, they still made their way into a few heads and so, on his way to breakfast, Ian caught a few annoying stares and he was all the more upset when some of those came not only from Slytherin, but from the other houses, as well. Many people were whispering as he walked through the Great Hall. He kept walking, staring at the ground, trying not to see the gazes upon him.

As he ate, Ian considered his position. It wasn't so much the talk behind his back that worried him. It was more the fact that somehow, Macke was right. Ian's power could be dangerous. And it seemed that Ian was starting to seriously lose control over it. No matter how reassuring Alexander was about it, Ian could tell that the Entropist was worried. And Ian went as far as considering leaving the school right now, before to hurt anyone. Of course this was unacceptable. That would mean admitting a complete defeat. And that would doom his own future.

So Ian was stuck in Hogwarts. And to add things, he was also stuck in there for the holidays, as his parents were taking his young brother Ewan in France, to spend Christmas with Uncle Guillaume, a distant relative, who was gathering a huge family for Christmas. Ian's holidays weren't long enough to come along. Christmas not being a huge tradition in his Wizarding family tradition, Ian didn't mind that, usually. To spend Christmas in Hogwarts could be fun. But not this year.

That was even more depressing.

He felt a little better when he learned that both Kieran and Joel were staying in the school for the holidays. Terry was leaving after the Ball, on the next morning, and he acted as if he wasn't really happy about that.

"Two weeks away from you, my dear," he told Kieran, with a wiggling eyebrows, "I wonder how I will survive it."

"Probably the usual way," said Kieran, distractedly, looking at Ian. "Breath in, breath out. Oh, come on, cheer up, Ian! It's almost Christmas! It'll be fun, you'll see!"

"Yeah," said Ian, on a drawling voice. "Fun."

* * *

The Ball was finally there. All the older students had been preparing for it for the whole week. Well, most of the students. Julie had to make do with less time than her friends, since most of her free time was spent with the teachers, who were trying to figure out who was after her. With only two days to prepare, it was a miracle if she was even ready. And yet, she was.

She met Robert in the Stairs leading to the Great Hall. The look on his face was enough to tell her that her dress was a success. She had gotten it for the occasion. It was of a French design, sent by her mother, straight from Paris. Most of her friends had looked at her with envy and huge sighs.

"We will just look like ragged dolls beside her," had said Mandy, on a funeral tone.

Julie found that exaggerated, as Mandy was absolutely astonishing in a black dress that was underlining her discreet beauty. Kalindra was dressed more simply, but if she had looked for one word to describe her dark-skinned friend, it would have been "sexy". She was simply amazing. The impact of this dress on Rob had been dramatically obvious. He had gone from his natural skin color to pale white to bright red to white in less than five seconds after she had made her appearance at the top of the stairs. Julie was amused at the satisfied glint in Kalindra's eyes.

Robert greeted all of her friends with a smile. It was only given back by some of Julie's friends. Mandy didn't even look at him, as she passed by him, arm in arm with the Ravenclaw sixth year who had asked her to the Ball.

They all entered the Great Hall, and Julie stayed dazzled by the vision it offered. It was decorated with huge ice sculptures. And the whole place seemed to shine. They all settled for the Feast. As she was eating delicious plates, Julie noticed something odd. Kenneth was nowhere to be seen. Before she could ask about it, Prefects were asked to open the Ball with their partners. She, Will, Alwena, Jennifer, Eamon, who had accepted to be Jen's date for the evening, and Robert went to join the other dancers and the band, that Julie didn't know, started to play. As she danced with Robert, her worries suddenly faded away from her mind. It was a great feeling being in his arms. They danced three airs and then Will asked Julie for a dance. The Ball went on for one or two hours. Julie had never had such a great time. This was the best party she ever had attended.

Julie just wondered where Kenneth could be. She hadn't seen him at all. She excused herself to Robert and wandered a moment among the chatting students. No trace of him. Strange. She spotted Kalindra, who was chatting with Rob and Will. In fact, Rob and Kalindra were chatting and Will was eyeing Jennifer, as she was dancing with some Ravenclaw guy who had come to ask her. If a look could kill, the poor boy would have dropped dead on the spot. Julie smiled at the look on Will's face. Rob went to fetch some drinks just as Julie arrived, and he offered his seat to her.

"Hi," said Kalindra, as Julie was sitting beside her. "Is Prince Charming giving you a five minutes break?"

"Ha, ha," said Julie, with a sarcastic smile. "Have you had any chance to snog Rob, yet?"

"Not likely to happen until the dork finally grows a pair of eyes," groaned Kallie. "It's a work in progress, though, so I'm not giving up on the idea. So how's your evening?"

"I'm having a wonderful time," said Julie. "Robert is a great dancer, and... well, it's just a wonderful evening. Say, have you see Kenneth? I was planning on the evening to try and clear the air with him, but I can't seem to find him anywhere."

"Well, you won't," said Kalindra, with a sad look at the doors of the Great Hall. "Our dear Wandmaster went missing early this afternoon, and hasn't been seen since then. Given he explicitly told me not to expect him to show up at the ball, I'd say he won't come."

"You're kidding? Why?" exclaimed Julie.

"Er... He claims he didn't find a date?" offered Kalindra, not bothering to show her doubts about that explanation."

"No way!" Julie said.

"Yeah, I didn't believe that excuse either," replied Will, joining the conversation. "With the amount of dreamy eyes that has been following him recently, I could almost have confused him with your boyfriend, Julie. I guess he didn't feel like dancing."

"But he'll miss the party of the year!" said Julie. "That's a shame."

"Don't tell me!" said Kalindra, rolling her eyes. "I've given him more than an earful about it, trust me."

"Where do you suppose he is?" asked Julie.

"He told me something about training," said Kalindra, gloomily.

* * *

The guard was simple, yet elegant. Kenneth stood, facing a dead tree, which towered high above him, at the edge of the Forest, his wand in his hand. Since his father had told him about the family thrust, he had waited for the chance to practice it. Tonight was an excellent opportunity.

He shut his eyes, and evoked the image of the effect he was aiming at. He could feel the sudden warmth of his wand between his fingers, through the fabric of his gloves. He opened his eyes and flicked the wand. Light shot out of it, in the shape of a whip. He felt elated at the thought that he had managed it at the first attempt.

Kenneth lashed the ribbon of light a few times in the air and it cracked with a curious crunching sound, like fire eating at a log. He then turned his attention to the dead tree, and twirled his hand a few times over his head before to aim at one of the major branches of the tree and crack his whip. The ribbon of light cleanly cut through the wood and the branch fell in the snow. Kenneth shifted his wrist's position and threw the whip again at the fallen limb. This time, it didn't cut through. It lashed around the wood and Kenneth was able to pull at the large piece of dead wood, dragging it in the snow.

Kenneth smiled. So it was truly efficient on both levels, it could be as deadly as fire and also be just like a regular whip. Interesting. Both uses were clearly understood by his wand, by now. He wondered if he could introduce variations to the Fire Whip, the name of the Lionheart Thrust.

His attention was dragged from the technical aspect of his Gift, back to the lights coming from the Castle, along with music, and here and there, the sound of laughter. His eyes drifted to the complex lights of the Yule Ball, and his mind raced back to Kalindra, her shocked expression, when he had told her that he wouldn't attend. She had tried every trick she knew to make him change his mind, to no avail.

She meant well, of course, Kenneth knew that. But to show up at the Ball would mean face Julie at some point, and face the fact, that he was being a jerk. When you looked at it, there was no other way to describe it. So yes, she had sided against him in his dispute with Donahue, on a subject she knew nothing about. Yes, she dated the guy he loathed more in the whole school. Yes, Kenneth had a crush on her, that held no hope at all. All of this gave him a few reasons to be spiteful, and yet...

And yet, someone had tried to kidnap her. People who hadn't hesitated a second before to kill one of their own, instead of letting him be captured. This was serious business, not some teenager spat. She needed the support of her friends, and Kenneth was still throwing a tantrum. He felt pretty lousy about the whole thing.

He was angry. Angry at Julie, at Donahue, at these goons who had tried to abduct her and mostly at himself, for being a stubborn jackass ad for not being there to fight off these bastards. It made little to no sense, but, when you piled that up, Kenneth was really furious.

The light of his Fire Whip, which had shone with a golden tint until now, started to turn a little redder, and angry sparks started to spring from his wand tip.

On a sudden inspiration, Kenneth made a wrist move to increase the power of his spell and with a scream of rage, lashed the wand across the tree trunk. The whip flashed and seemed to detach from the wand and formed like a bow of red energy, which flew at the tree. The bark and the wood under it exploded at the impact and the tree collapsed, cut in two halves.

This left Kenneth panting, both knees in the snow. After a while, he pointed his wand at the destroyed root.

"_Reconstructo_!" he said.

Slowly, all the broken bits he had cut from the tree suddenly took their place back, dead branches and splinters floated to reform the tree at the exact same shape as before Kenneth had started to train on it. Kenneh got back to his feet, still panting.

"Very impressive," said a voice coming from behind him.

Cursing inwardly, Kenneth turned. It apparently was too much to hope that the Ball would keep the teachers busy enough for him to be left alone. He was probably in trouble, now, for being out in the grounds, for ruining the landscape, whatever.

He was surprised to see a smile on Professor Potter's face. The Defence Teacher was standing there, his arms crossed across his chest, to keep his warmth the best he could.

"Feeling any better?" he asked, referring to the scream of rage he must have heard.

"A little," said Kenneth. " That wasn't the goal of the exercise, though."

"What was the point, then?" asked Potter.

"Practice," said Kenneth, smiling.

"I could have guessed that," chuckled Potter. "Why repair it, though? It's dead, you know."

"It saves me the trouble to find another one," explained Kenneth. "It's a good target, so I take care of it."

"Sensible enough," admitted the teacher. "I guess you come here often, then?"

"Not at night," said Kenneth, shrugging. "I needed some air, tonight."

"I do wonder why you are out here in the snow, while there is quite a party going on, over there in the Great Hall," noted Potter.

Kenneth had a twisted smile. He felt comfortable enough with Potter for what came next.

"I could ask you the same," he replied, with a grin.

Potter had another chuckle

"My girlfriend has gone abroad, and I didn't fell like partying, tonight. So I volunteered for the grounds patrol. What's your excuse?"

"Didn't find any partner to go with me," said Kenneth, with a shrug.

"Now, that I find hard to believe," said Potter, with a mischievous smile.

Kenneth turned to him, eyes widened in surprise.

"I've seen quite a few young ladies eying you quite favorably, these days," said Harry. "You could have found any date you would have wanted. I think the trouble is more that you couldn't go with the person _you_ wanted."

He said all that with a feint tone of stiffness, that reminded Kenneth of a muggle butler he had seen in a movie, once. There was a glint in the teacher's eyes that told Kenneth that he wasn't entirely serious. And yet, Potter seemed to care. Kenneth smiled.

"Why do teacher always feel the need to be so clever?" he asked.

"Part of the territory," said Potter, with an ironic smile. "And honestly, if I was that clever, I'd have accompanied Ginny in Austria, so I wouldn't be out here freezing... Anyway; before we do pass out from the cold, how about a cup of tea?"

Kenneth looked at the lights coming from the Great Hall.

"In my office," precised Potter.

"Alright," said Kenneth, smiling.

He really wasn't in a festive mood. And it didn't seem like Professor Potter was, either. So it was the best way for them to get along, tonight. Kenneth followed his teacher back to the Castle.

* * *

Julie was losing herself in the music, swaying near Robert, as they danced close to each other. This piece was a far cry from the more traditional dances that had opened the Ball, but that was still exhilarating to be able to let go. For a moment, there, in the arms of Robert, she forgot her current worries. Her mind stopped to focus on the threat over her life, and started to wander with the music.

All she could see was Robert, his bright smile, his wonderful eyes and the feeling of his arms around her.

The dance floor was crowded. Julie looked around, and saw Will and Kalindra dance joyously near the stage, while, Rob was staking a break. Near the drink table, Alwena and Mandy were chatting with Gillian Crawley. Julie noticed both Alwena and Gillian wore heir Silver Quill brooch tonight, while they usually let Kieran enjoy the honour alone. Their dates appeared and brought them drinks. Everyone seemed to have fun.

Julie's dancing brought her closer to Robert and their hips met. She didn't stop it. It felt good to let go a little. She needed that. She needed to be carefree for a while. And he gave her that. The way he looked at her, like she was the only thing that mattered, right now, was exactly what she needed.

The music ended and the band started to play a slower song. Most students paired up, but many dancers left the floor, since this was more of a romantic moment. Without waiting for Robert's invitation, she gently pulled him to her and found refuge in his arms. Robert didn't hesitate and soon, they were softly turning on the dance floor, as he held her tenderly.

Julie looked up and met his eyes. And she saw something that made a delicious thrill run through her spine. The admiration she read in his eyes, the way he seemed to find her beautiful... And she suddenly had a certainty. He wanted to kiss her.

Julie smiled. Robert, encouraged, smiled back and leaned even closer, until their lips touched. Julie's heart made a jump and she lost herself in the feeling. But they had to cut it short, because Snape was watching. But Julie's smile didn't falter. That first kiss had been perfect. She had time for more intense kisses. The almost chaste way his lips had joined with hers had already filled her heart with feelings she had never known before.

* * *

"So you knew my Mum," said Kenneth, over the steaming pot of tea.

"Briefly," said Harry, pouring himself a cup, before to sit facing the boy."Briefly but quite intensely, I should say. It was at the beginning of my sixth year, here. The war was picking up its pace. No open battles in the streets, yet, but the threat of the Death Eaters was clear for everyone. The Order was gathering and growing in ranks. And at the same time, the enemy was on the move. My own safety was at stake and the Order needed to escort me from my Aunt and Uncle's home to the Headquarters. The year before, five wizards had shown up to pick me up, so I expected something like that to happen. But it didn't. The skies over little Whinging, the apparition ways, the floo network. Everything was watched by the enemy. Our spies told Dumbledore it was too risky to mount a big operation. So instead, only one witch showed up at the Dursleys' doorstep: your mother. She was a muggleborn, so she knew exactly how to dress to blend in the neighborhood. She told me we would get to London by train. I must confess I was worried that the Order was stretched so thin that they could only send one member to get me. And I was therefore grateful to your Mother for the risk she was taking on my behalf."

"She was like that," said Kenneth.

"Indeed," said Harry. "My opinion on your mother would change very quickly. She had shrunk my stuff into a small bag and we were off to the train station. When we got there, she was on alert. She told to get my wand and not to give a damn about the underage regulation. I remember the shock. At this time, she was the first person I met save for my godfather who had expected to rely on me for a fight. There were six Death Eaters waiting for us at the station. The fight began right away and I had never been in a fight like this. Sarah was... beyond everything I thought to know about duelling. And I have seen brilliant wizards fight. I even saw a duel between Voldemort and Dumbledore. But this... how do you call it?"

"The Gift," said Kenneth.

"The Gift," said Harry. "Perfectly fitting. Sarah... She was facing four opponents at once, and there was a form of beauty in the way she fought. She didn't want me to step aside. Oh, no. She even created openings for me to stun the attackers. Together, we made short work of them. It was such a rush I was nearly lightheaded. We boarded the train. By that time, I was certain Sarah was the greatest witch in the world. The journey to London was epic. Voldemort didn't want to draw too much attention, so they didn't stop the train, but other Death Eaters showed up during the ride and we had to fight during the whole trip, then through London, until we reached the Headquarters."

"But you made it," said Kenneth. "Dad told me about the mission. He was supposed to join Mum, but he got stuck at the Ministry, and couldn't blow the secret of the operation."

"Lancelot told me so," said Harry, nodding. "I met him the very same night. When I reached the Headquarters, Dumbledore was there, waiting for us. He was pretty sure that Sarah could pull it off. He explained what wandmasters were. He apologized for the risk, but told me that it was the best way to reduce risks. I was way too high on the adrenalin to be mad at him. And I had been lucky to meet your Mum. Lancelot joined us later, and we discussed your family and their gift. I spent a few weeks in Headquarters. I had officially enlisted in the Order but everyone still treated me, Ron and Hermione like children. Everyone except Sarah and your family... Lancelot, Sonia... they all treated me like a peer, and I learned a lot with them. I have come to respect and be friends with many members of the Order. But I knew I owed my life to your mother."

Kenneth remained silent, and Harry could feel a curious emotion shining in his eyes.

"A year later, I heard of Sarah's death," said Harry. "I felt like I had lost a friend, then. For reasons of safety, I couldn't attend the funeral, but I went to the memorial of the Order. I must say I always wondered if I should come and see you to offer my condolences. When I arrived at the school, I felt it may make you uneasy or reopen old wounds, so I chose to keep my distances. But I'd like you to know your mother had my respect, my admiration and my friendship."

"Thank you, Sir," said Kenneth.

There was just a hint of pride in his voice, but Harry liked that sound. It was high time Kenneth would build some esteem of who he was, and that started with pride in his own name. Yet, Harry guessed discussing his mother must not have been Kenneth's favorite subject, so he changed it.

"Now, about the technical aspect," he said. "How does it work?"

"Sir?" asked Kenneth.

"The Gift," said Harry. "I know how it works in theory, but from your perspective, how does it feel?"

Kenneth seemed to give it a long thought.

"It's like a presence in your mind," he said, after a while. "The last echoes of a presence, actually, but it's always there. I can always feel the power of my wand somewhere at the back of my head, whenever I hold it. I feel it in me, and it feels me. So when I think of something, I can feel the wand's reaction. When I want to do something, I imagine the effect I want to achieve. When my wand understands, I feel its warmth in my hand and my heart. And then I only need to point the wand and the spell is cast."

"So what is the goal of the stylish waves?" asked Harry, fascinated. "Are they here for show, to disconcert the enemy?"

"No," said Kenneth, smiling. "They are shortcuts. Like muscle memory. When I move my wand a certain way, it reacts and produces a spell I used before. I can cast a lot of spell without calling to the focus I was mentioning earlier. Two turns clockwise, it's disarming spell... counter-clockwise, a stunning spell. The more you use it, the quicker your wand reacts. I've heard of some old Wandmasters, who only have to hold up their wand in the air and the spells just fly out of it at the speed of thought. I'm not there, yet. I may never reach that level, but it's possible."

"So actually, it's all a question of instinct, or do you have to learn the shortcuts?"

"I have to learn the spells," explained Kenneth. "I need to know what effect I want. I then need to establish a few basic waves with my wand.

"Such as?" asked Harry.

"There are a few moves that don't match a spell, but can be combined with any spell," said Kenneth. "if I I wave my wand in a circle over my open palm, it's to charge a powerful spell. After that, the incantation is enough, but if I have cast the spell often enough, I can use a shortcut. The hold of the wand changes things as well. If I'm using the Enchanter's hold, my wand knows I'm trying something delicate, so it doesn't use too much power. Summoner's hold, something very powerful. When I simply hold it like a knife, it means I'm in a fight."

"I see," said Harry. "Did Lancelot teach you this?"

"Only the theory," said Kenneth. "He got a special dispense from the Ministry, so I could train at home, this summer, but it's only by practicing that I can acquire the moves. They are my own. For example, if I twirl my wand three times, it means a disarming spell, followed by a knocking spell. I my father does this move, it disarms his opponent, stuns him and strands him into a phantom snare, because the wand has memorized that intent in him."

"Fascinating," said Harry. "So, basically, you talk to your wand?"

"It can be put like that," nodded Kenneth, and then he smiled. "Actually, yes, that's exactly that. We talk to our wands and the waves are a language. I had never thought of defining it that way, but it's a perfect term."

Harry nodded.

"What about your code?" he asked. "I'm aware of rules enforced among Wandmasters. But how does it work? If you're not forbidden to talk about it, of course."

"Why would I be?" shrugged Kenneth. "They're hardly a secret. They have been negociated with the Ministry at some point. The Code is based on the rules established by Sven's Thorsen's Alliance, the first Clan of Wandmasters. Most families adhere to the core of these rules. Some decide to respect the strict basis of the Alliance. Some other families decide to add rules of their own. My Clan added a few items to our Code, so it would fit the times we live in."

"Who enforces those rules?" asked Harry, curious.

"Aurors, mostly," replied Kenneth. "They are informed of the rules dictating the behaviour of a Wandmasters, but for certain transgressions, the Wandmasters are allowed to deal with them "in the family", because even expert Aurors could have trouble catching a rogue Wandmaster. When a Wandmaster betrays his Clan, we can call a Blood Feud against him. It means the whole family is out to get him, along with our allies."

"Allies?" noted Harry.

"Clans ally themselves with others," explained Kenneth. "Alliances between bloodlines, either by friendship or by marriage. Clan Lionheart is allied with Clan Lovell, the other great British Line, and with Clan Theroux, in France. It has been so for centuries. When the Theroux joined Dumbledore in his war against Grindelwald, we followed and joined the war, too. My family joined the Order of the Phoenix, and the Lovell Clan followed. If a member of Clan Lovell would turn a traitor, then the whole Alliance would be in a Blood Feud with him, and should I meet him, I'd be allowed to fight him and... take him out."

Harry flinched at the term, feeling this was very serious a stance for a teenager. But Kenneth seemed to mean it very seriously. He chose not to dig that issue.

"War between clans?" he asked.

"Not allowed by the Code," said Kenneth. "That's the first rule of the Alliance. A Clan who would seek a watr against a single clan would be caught in a Blood Feud with all the wandmasters in the world."

"Not a prospect one would enjoy," said Harry with a smile. "Sarah was a muggleborn. How did she learn?"

"It's pretty simple," said Kenneth. "When a new Wandmaster appears, he's either an Heir, like me, or a Root, like my mother. It means that she was the first of her bloodline to develop the Gift. All muggleborn Wandmasters are, by definition, Roots. The code dictates that the first Clan a Root encounters names a tutor for them. When Mum manifested, she was still in Hogwarts, in her last year. Dad hadn't manifested, yet, but knew how to recognize a Root. My great-uncle Elan came to Hogwarts to educate Mum. She was officially taken in by Clan Lionheart. Dad awoke to his Gift one year later. He was expecting it, but Mum was delighted to share something else with him. That sealed the deal for them. But, as soon, as soon as a Root is taught the Code, they can choose to create their own Clan. They can marry inside an existing Clan, like Mum did, as well. A Root that sets out on their own gain a lot of respect. Clan Veneta, one of the greatest Spanish clans, was founded by two brothers who were taught by one of my ancestors and then went back to their country."

"I see," said Harry. "So, it comes from the blood?"

"Yes," said Kenneth. "I'm a Wandmaster because both my parents were. Some of my relatives don't have the Gift, but my family has a strong Line. But Roots can appear anywhere, among muggles, among wizards... It's pretty ironic, actually."

"What is?" asked Harry.

"My bloodline goes back to the days of Merlin," said Kenneth. "But our code and our tradition actually pays more respect to Roots than to Heirs. To be an Heir, you need the right parents. To be a Root, you need a very strong magic within you. My Dad marrying a Root was quite an event in the family. Everyone was delighted because that meant that a strong magic had been added to the Clan. So we are deeply respected by the pureblood believers, because of our bloodline, but at the same time, we support muggleborns and we could have been called Blood Traitors by Voldemort and his clique."

"Well, back in the days, Clan Lionheart were my kind of people," said Harry, smiling. "How is Lancelot, these days?"

"Quite busy," said Kenneth. "He's been sent on an investigation abroad, and I'll have to stay in Hogwarts for Christmas. Work helps him, I think. He misses my Mum just as much as I do, but we're both holding up."

"That's good to hear," said Harry. "Let me know when he returns. I'll have to visit him, one of these days."

"I'm sure he'll be glad to see you," said Kenneth.

"So, I have another offer for you, Kenneth," said Harry.

"Sir?"

Kenneth's eyebrows had shot up.

"I'd like to study the wand Gift," said Harry. "An outsider's eye can bring perspective. I think I can learn a thing or two that can be useful to common defence. Would you like to help me by setting up private sessions, where I can observe how the Gift works, and stuff like that."

Kenneth seemed to think about it. Then he smiled.

"I don't think it would be a problem, Sir," he said.

"Excellent," said Harry. "I'll set it up for the holiday, then. Now, it's quite late. You should hurry back to your dorm."

Kenneth stood and nodded before to head for the door.

"Sir?" he said.

"Yes?"

"I don't think I ever said it before, so... thank you," said Kenneth.

"For what?" asked Harry.

"For avenging my Mother," said Kenneth, gravely. "You were the one to bring down Voldemort."

Harry met his eyes.

"I didn't do it for revenge," he said, very seriously.

"I know," said Kenneth. "I don't think my Mum would have wanted it, anyway. Still, you brought her justice, so thank you."

Harry was caught by the emotion a little, so he chose not to push the issue. He simply nodded.

"Good night, Kenneth," he said after a long silence.

"Good night, Sir," replied Kenneth before to exit the office, leaving Harry with his thoughts, about how many people his fight with Voldemort had actually brought justice too.

That was a different way to feel justified at this last battle. For Harry, any justification was good to take, because he would always need a reason for fighting a war. Had his fight really brought justice to Sarah? To Krum? To Percy or Dennis Creevey? Harry, when his darkest memories of the war came back to haunt him, sometimes needed to think so. To hear it from a boy who had been a child then, not older than seven, was completely different. And somehow, it felt more convincing than what he had been telling himself.

With a slight smile, Harry took another sip of tea, before to realise it was cold. Well, it was time to go to bed, apparently.

* * *

Julie walked with Robert up to the Portrait of the Fat Lady. She turned to say goodbye. Then she met Robert's eyes. Again, her heart began to beat faster. He smiled to her.

"I had a wonderful evening," said Julie.

"Mine was brilliant, too," said Robert.

He began to lean down to her face for another kiss. Julie met him half way and this one was more intense, more passionate. Their lips danced with each other, and she wanted more.

The fire rose in her for a while and then finally receded, until she parted from him. She had a radiant smile.

"Wow," said Robert. "That was... intense."

"I know," said Julie. "I kinda liked it."

"I won't deny I liked it, too," said Robert. "Before I go, I know I have to ask. Will yo be my girlfriend? I mean, officially?"

"I'd love to," said Julie.

"Fantastic," said Robert, with a grin. "So, you'll be my date for the next Hogsmeade week end. Valentine's day, you know..."

His humourous smile made her laugh.

"Yeah, I guess I can't avoid it, can I?" she said, feigning annoyance. "It's in the job description, right?"

"It would be a shame to step on tradition, that way," said Robert, with conviction. "Good night, Julie."

She rose to the tip of her toes for another quick kiss.

"Good night," she said.

Robert walked away in the corridor, turning from time to time to smile at her.

"Dragon's Tail," said Julie under her breath.

"Right away, my dear," said the Fat Lady, opening the Portrait hole.

She walked in the Common room, her mind lost in a delicious daze. She felt lucky to have found sucha guy to be her boyfriend. Sure he had some failings, but he was sweet, handsome, and a real gentleman. His way of always waiting for her approval for a kiss was the perfect example. He hadn't tried to force anything on her. And she wasn't about to regret kissing him. The thought danced in her mind, as she walked up to her dorm room, certain she wouldn't get any sleep.

He had _kissed_ her!

* * *

"So, a gentleman, huh?" said Kenneth, sarcastically.

Donahue froze in the middle of the corridor. Kenneth walked out of the shadows. He had a very dark look to the Slytherin. Donahue seemed to be a little intimidated.

"Were you spying on us?" he asked, coldly.

"Not spying. I just walked into you. I decided not to interrupt."

"Well, thank you," said Donahue, his tone warmer, this time.

"Let me warn you, Donahue," said Kenneth. "If you hurt her in any way, make sure to run and hide. Because if I find you after that, you'll regret to be born."

Donahue held his gaze for a second.

"You take care of her, don't you?" he said, giving up.

"So what?" said Kenneth.

"Nothing, it's just that she's lucky to have you watching over her like this. Given what she's going through, she can use any help she can get. And yours isn't to be dismissed, no matter what I think. So, thank you."

"You really care for her?" asked Kenneth.

"Well, yes," said Donahue. "I like her a lot."

Kenneth nodded. He had heard enough. He began to head to his Common Room, when Donahue stopped him, grabbing his arm.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry, Lionheart," he said. "About your mother. I didn't know. I guess I must say that I was an idiot, there. So I regret what I said. On your family."

Kenneth stared at him for a long time. Was he serious? With a face like his, always composed and set as a mask, it was hard to tell.

"Try to know who you're after, when you want to show off. Some people don't deserve your disdain," he said.

"I'll try," said Donahue with a smile. "If I fail, you still can hang me head to the floor, can't you?"

"Not my job," said Kenneth. "Good night, Donahue. And remember what I said about her."

Donahue nodded and walked away. Kenneth looked at him go out of sight. Then he headed toward the Common room.

* * *

After the Ball, there had been a huge amount of excited whisperings in the Castle. Younger students wanted a complete report of the events from the older. But anyway the next day was passed in packing for most of students. The Monday morning, the students were leaving the school and heading for the Hogsmeade Station, under a huge snow fall. Ian looked at the carriages go out of sight by a window of the Nest.

Kieran and Joel tried their best to get him out of his melancholy. But Ian was always hearing the words of Macke about him being a menace even for his friends. He was now convinced it was true. And the idea of sharing his holiday with two of his best friends wasn't enough to cheer him up, as he was realising that they would be the first to suffer, should he lose control again.

And this thought kept on depressing him until Christmas night.

Still, life went on for the others. Julie was now studying to get her homework done before the next term. Donahue had reluctantly left the Castle, openly claiming he would be missing her. The fact they were now a couple had been the main piece of news from the Ball. Ian didn't like the idea, but the two of them seem pretty happy about it, so who was he to meddle?

Most of the Gryffindors were gone. Kalindra and Julie were the only girls left. And from the fifth year, Kenneth and Will were the only boys.

Kenneth was spending most of his free time with Professor Potter. The Defence Teacher was studying his gifts, fascinated by the endless possibilities of a Wandmaster. He was always offering him to try some new spell, issued from an old book, very dusty, usually. Kenneth was mastering them quickly, adding new moves in his already extensive knowledge of duelling. They were using the Room of Requirements, where Potter and Kenneth could find some strange replica to train in duelling. So Kenneth wasn't really easy to see, these days. But each time he was crossing path with Ian, he was smiling encouragingly. It was the only reaction Ian found sympathetic. At least, he wasn't looking at him with some worried face or some pity in the eyes. Ian wouldn't stand pity from other students.

The Christmas dinner was very intimate, with only one table for everyone. Dumbledore liked to do this kind of thing when there was very few students in the Castle. The mood was festive, but still, you could see some grim faces. Ian was among them, of course. The younger teachers were missing. Professor Potter, despite his girlfriend being gone on an oversea assignment, was spending Christmas in her family, with Professor Weasley and her husband. Alexander had been invited to join them, with Phyllis. And he had accepted. Ian didn't want to deny his mentor a nice Christmas, but he would have liked to be able to speak with Alexander, tonight.

Well, at least someone was having a good Christmas night. That was already something.

Ian suddenly caught some glimpse of a young Slytherin, who was eyeing him from the other side of the table. He had a nasty smile on his thin face. He couldn't remember his name, but he knew he was a friend of Macke, even if he was younger. He held his gaze fiercely.

"You have a problem?" he asked.

"Not really," said the Slytherin boy. "But you have. I don't understand why you don't leave this school right now, before you make it collapse on our heads."

"Will you shut up!" snapped Joel.

"Why? Because I'm worrying that your pal may kill one of us someday? You don't seem very keen on keeping grudge, Andrews. He almost killed you last time."

"I said shut up!" said Joel.

But Ian suddenly stood up, and as he did, the Slytherin's glass exploded in his hand.

"Don't worry," said Ian. "I controlled that. You won't die just yet."

And he left, leaving his friends and teachers to call after him. He headed right to the Nest, again, plunged into the dark thoughts that were turning in his head since the last accident.

_Hurting your own friends… Freak… Hurting your own friends… Locked by the Unspeakables._

* * *

The dinner ended, leaving a strange impression on everybody, after Ian's exit. Instead of heading back to the Tower like the others, Kenneth went outside. He didn't feel like going to bed right now. And sure enough, there would be a short Christmas party in the Common room before everyone would go to bed. And Kenneth wasn't really in the good state of mind for a party. Besides, the sight of Julie's bliss at being in a couple with Donahue was sure to get him down, so...

He looked around him, his breath sending clouds of vapour in the ice cold night air. The whole of the grounds was covered in snow. He walked a little in the front of the Castle. He was thinking of many things. From Julie to Professor Potter's sessions, to the attitude of many students toward him. Before this damned Duel, he had been disdained and mocked. Now he was feared by some people. Kenneth honestly preferred mockery, sometimes.

Julie was still hesitant to talk to him, thanks to his attitude of the last month. But Donahue had apologized for what he had said. And Maybe he wasn't as bad as Kenneth thought him to be. And if it was so, Maybe he should try to make his amends to Julie. But still, being friend with her, while she would be dating Donahue… Kenneth hated this idea. Now he was sure of what he was feeling. He was in love with her. But this love was doomed. So he didn't know if he could only be friend with her.

After a long walk around the Castle, Kenneth headed back to the Doors, this time thinking of Professor Potter. His talks with the Defence teacher did him a lot of good, since it gave him a whole new set of positive memories of his Mum, and a new appreciation of his gifts. The teacher had experience that Kenneth still lacked, despite being far more advanced than his classmates. And the discussion they had on duelling were fascinating. This was the high point of his holiday, so far.

He walked back to the Gryffindor tower.

When he entered the Common Room, Kenneth found himself facing Kalindra. She seemed to be waiting for him. She was staring at him so intently that he wondered for a minute if he was in trouble, until she gave him a strange smile and kissed him on the cheek.

"What was that for?" he asked.

"Mistletoe," said Kallie, pointing to the Ceiling. "Happy Christmas."

Kenneth looked up and saw a prawn of Mistletoe hanging from it. He smiled.

"I though you needed to be cheered up a little, to be reminded that you're not so isolated, pal," said Kalindra.

"Well thanks," he said. "Happy Christmas to you, too."

"No problem and thank you," said Kallie, smiling broadly.

"Where is everybody?" asked Kenneth.

"Up to bed," said Kalindra. "I'm filling up for Jennifer, making sure all the students come back in the Tower. You're the last one to come in. What took you so long?"

"I was out, thinking."

"In this freezing cold?" said Kallie, wincing.

"The blood flows faster in the veins, and you think harder," said Kenneth, hanging his cloak in front of the fireplace.

Kalindra let out a chuckle.

"And in your thoughts, have you considered the one of talking to her?" asked Kalindra.

"Whoever you're talking about, I don't really know what there is to say," said Kenneth.

"Well I'm referring to the girl you're eyeing like some dead fish since the day you met her on the train. And you could tell her what you feel about her."

"A dead fish?" said Kenneth.

"Alright, then, a fish who considers drowning himself," corrected Kalindra.

"How can a fish drown himself?" asked Kenneth, a twisted smile on his lips.

"By jumping out of the water, I'd say," said Kalindra, smiling.

"Yeah, I haven't thought of that. That could work."

Kalindra laughed.

"You can be funny, you know," said Kalindra.

"That's reassuring," commented Kenneth, letting himself fall in an armchair.

"I mean, you should try and act a little more cheerful," précised Kalindra, sitting in the armchair facing his.

"Do I have reasons to be cheerful, these days, Kallie?" asked Kenneth sarcastically. "I mean, apart from my best friends, half the school thinks I'm some kind of Dark Lord in the making, the other half places bets on the next guy whose arse I will kick. That's not a really funny trend, is it?"

"Well, that wouldn't be, if that were true, but honestly you forget the majority of us, who admired the way you kept your gifts secret and the way you dealt with Donahue. Most of the school doesn't think you're that frightening, Kenneth. You know, you're not the only one who knows his history. Wandmasters are known to be traditionally servants of Good. And most people know that. You shouldn't stop to what a handful of Slytherin gits say. Some even think that this duel was the greatest show ever in their school years."

"Well, still there's nothing to joke about," said Kenneth.

"Come on Kenneth, you don't have to be so desperate," said Kalindra. "And you need to cool off with Julie. She is really trying to make her amends. Don't shut her out like that. She's still your friend."

"Really?" said Kenneth, on a doubtful tone.

"Well, yes," said Kalindra. "She wants to talk to you about that, I think. You shouldn't judge her too quickly. Donahue... he has that effect on people. But she's smarter that this. You shouldn't assume you know her because she dates him. You should be more open-minded. You should try to hear what she has to say."

"Yeah, I guess," said Kenneth. "And you should just snog Rob and be done with it," he added with a mischievous smile. "See? Not as easy as it sounds, right?"

Kalindra jaw dropped.

"That was low," she suddenly laughed. "I'll have you know that I'm working on the issue. I need to make sure..."

"Oh, come on, Kallie," Kenneth cut her. "I've seen the dress and the way he looked at it for the Ball. He won't refuse you, if you go and kiss him."

"It's not what I want," said Kalindra.

"Huh?"

"I don't want him 'not to refuse"," she explained. "I want him to 'want' me. And until now, Rob just didn't see me this way. Hopefully, the Ball will have changed that."

"I guess it makes sense," said Kenneth. "Still, no matter if he sees you as a woman, you will have to make your move."

"Why?" asked Kalindra.

"Because the idea will scare him to death," said Kenneth, grinning. "It took him the last of his will power to offer you to go with you to the Ball."

"And that doesn't scare me?" said Kalindra.

"Well, I don't see what could scare you, in fact," said Kenneth.

"You're too good with me, Mr Lionheart," said Kalindra.

"I'm serious, Kallie," said Kenneth. "You have more nerve than many guys around here. Now," he added with a twisted smile, " I don't understand what you can find attractive in Rob, but…"

"Now, Kenneth," protested Kalindra. "I can't believe you say this about a friend. Rob is…"

"Go on?" asked Kenneth, with a smile.

Kalindra stopped, looked frustrated.

"Arghhh! How can I fight with you, honestly? You're becoming cunning, now! Alright, Rob is a little goofy sometimes. He has a one-track mind, and he can be very direct, almost rude! But when he smiles to you, you just can't resist. He's cute, and sometimes, he says something nice to you, and you just feel like you will melt on the spot."

"There, I knew he had something for him, in the end," commented Kenneth, casually. " So, will you follow my advice?"

"Will you follow mine?" countered Kalindra with a grin.

"I'll think about it," admitted Kenneth.

"Same here, pal," she said.

She stood up.

"Come on," she said. "Time to bed, boy."

"Yes, Mum," replied Kenneth, chuckling a little.

* * *

"Ian?" said the weak voice of Kieran, from the stairs. "Are you there?"

From the depth of his armchair, facing the fire, Ian Mumbled an affirmative answer.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

Ian pondered not to answer at all for a second, then he remembered it was Kieran over there. The only one he told absolutely everything.

"Not really," he said.

Kieran walked around the armchair and sat in front of him. She was looking very concerned.

"You don't have to feel bad about this," she said. "There have been no harm."

"There could have been," said Ian darkly.

"You will consider anything you do on the dark side?" said Kieran. "If you had to do that, you wouldn't even go to class anymore."

"That's an idea," said Ian.

"Don't be absurd, Ian," said Kieran impatiently. "You are too bright to give up your studies."

"But why are you still friend with me?" said suddenly Ian. "Why are you still doing this?"

Kieran looked astonished and a little offended.

"And what does that mean?" she asked, frowning.

"They're all right out there!" said Ian, jumping on his feet, and he began to pace the room. "I'm dangerous! I'm a freak! If you stay near me, you'll end up wounded or maybe worse. Don't you understand? It's getting worse! Each time I lose the control over this, I make even more damage! And it's happening more often now! What if I kill someone next?!"

Kieran stood up suddenly, furious.

"Stop that immediately, Ian Malcolm!" she shouted.

Ian stopped dead in his pacing, and looked at her, puzzled. She walked to him and pushed him in his armchair.

"You will stop to think like this! Because this is not going to happen! And I'll tell you why I'm staying near you. Because I trust you! I know you won't do me any harm! I know it! Because I've known you since I was a little girl. We played together in your parents' garden! I was there the first time you suddenly began to float in the air, sending sparkles in every direction! I saw all of your strange powers! And you never hurt me at this time, even if you hadn't any control over it! Now that you study to control it, I know you will never do me any harm. Because you're the smartest guy I ever knew. You will find the way to control it! I know you will. So I won't go away. Because I don't need to do so!"

She dropped on her knees near Ian. He couldn't say a word. She took his hand.

"Listen to me, Ian," she went on. "I know you are afraid. But you never back out on anything, so you won't start now. You may believe that we are afraid of you, but we're not. We're all afraid _for_ you. I can't imagine what it's like to discover all these new powers. And sometimes, it scares me, because I'm afraid you would get hurt. You, not me. So, I wont' let you down. And I know you will find a way out of this. And I'll help you."

Ian couldn't hear any more. He felt the tears come to his eyes. He began to sob uncontrollably. Kieran stood up and then sat close to him in the armchair. She threw her arms around him, and she rocked him against her, whispering appeasing words.

"It'll be okay," she whispered. "You'll be fine."

Ian felt her words make their way through his confused thoughts and he began to cam down. Finally, his sobs calmed down, and Kieran slowly let go of him. Ian looked up to her, and she smiled. She wiped one tear from his cheek with her thumb.

"A big boy like you who cries?" she teased. "What would the others say, Ian?"

Ian chuckled. Kieran stood up.

"You'll be okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, I guess," said Ian, standing up. "I think I'm going to bed, now," he said.

"Good," said Kieran.

She walked slowly to the staircase. Ian followed her.

"Kieran?" he called after her.

She turned to him.

"Yes?"

"Thank you," said Ian. "I needed to talk about it."

"I know," said Kieran. "That's why I'm here. You know… best friends… supporting each other?"

"Yeah, I heard about that once or twice, but I wasn't sure it existed, given the kind of people who happen to be my friends."

Kieran chuckled lightly at the quote. But Ian's face went serious again.

"Now, I believe it," he said. "Thanks for that, too."

She beamed at him.

"At your service, My Lord;" she said, bowing mockingly, before she ran up the stairs.

Ian stayed behind a few minutes, thinking of what she had said. She was right, of course. He had to find a way out of the situation. And he would find it. But he needed to hear it from someone else. He felt very lucky to be friend with a girl like Kieran, who could understand him better than he could. He was feeling better than he had in the last month.

And a strange thought suddenly passed in his mind.

It had been great being in her arms. Not embarrassing at all. Just … great.


	14. Rumour has it (The Woes of Fame)

A_nd a very happy new year to all of you! All the best for you guys! Thanks for reading! Hope you'll enjoy the new part._

_Ths chapter is a completely new one, up there for different reasons. First, in the first draft, Ginny wasn't Harry's love interest, which changed the dynamics of the couple quite a lot. Second, I chose to develop a plot bunny that grew in the rewrite of Seal of Chaos... and that made me laugh, for some reason. Hope you'll like it._

* * *

**Rumour has it (The woes of fame)**

* * *

The Holiday gave the students that remained behind a rare occasion. They got to be in Hogwarts, without the school works and they got to be teenagers in the castle.

Inevitably, wild rumours were starting to run in the school. Kenneth knew for a fact that Ian had noting to do with it, if only because they were so preposterous than Ian wouldn't have dared to spread such nonsense. But, moreover, the Ravenclaw boy was so distracted by his issues with Magic that he had lost touch with his network of informants, according to Kieran.

But Kenneth had heard the rumours and he had to do something about it. This could get serious. So during his next session with Professor Potter, he tried to brush the subject.

"Have you heard from Miss Weasley, Sir?" he asked with all the caution he could manage in an harmless question, as he was getting rid of his cloak, in order to begin their sparring match.

Potter smiled.

"Is it that bad, then?" he asked.

"Sir?" said Kenneth, taken off guard by his reaction.

"I know how this school works," said the teacher, smiling wider. "No magic in the world can be as powerful as a good old rumour unleashed by teenagers."

Kenneth had a smile at this.

"But if you feel the need to come to me about it," Potter went on. "It means it's pretty bad, because you're a serious boy who, I believe, doesn't pay attention to stuff like that."

"Well, it's getting pretty wild, Sir," admitted Kenneth. "Basically, the idea out there is that you and Miss Weasley have broken up, and that's why she's not around anymore."

"Basically?" said Potter, with a smirk. "And it gets wild how?"

"Well, the number of people involved varies with the rumour," said Kenneth. "I heard one that said you dumped her for triplets."

"Ouch," said Potter with a wince. "Triplets, eh? Did you know my last girlfriend before Ginny had a twin sister. Now _that_ would be awkward."

"Oh, yes," said Kenneth, grinning. "So I'll assume it's all rubbish."

"It is," said Potter. "Ginny is covering an international summit in Austria. She's due back in a few days."

"I see," said Kenneth. "It must be complicated, right?"

"What must be?" said potter.

"Having a private life when you Harry Potter," said Kenneth. "I swear, no teacher in the school has his life under such a spotlight."

"Like the need to be clever, it comes with the territory," shrugged Potter. "I try to ignore it, mostly. But one piece of advice. You're a Wandmaster, and Lancelot's son, so there is a pretty good chance that you'll save someone's life, one day. Don't ever give them your name."

Kenneth had a chuckle.

"I'll keep that in mind, Sir," he said. "But just so you know, some students I saw discussing this said it was in the paper, so..."

"In the paper, you say?" said Potter, with a surprised look. "Now, that could be problematic."

* * *

Ron Weasley wasn't keen on being organized, when it came to his work. He was no slacker, and in fact, the Order had nothing be praise for his results, as a Curse Breaker. But you had to keep that firmly in mind, whenever you stepped into his office. The desk was buried under so many piles of parchment that the way its top looked like was a distant memory.

Ron knew how to find everything in there, but he was the only one able to do so, and this ability alone would have qualified him as a wizard, for a regular muggle would have been incapable of finding a damn thing in this mess of epic proportions.

Many of his colleagues made gentle fun of this, when he was asked to fetch an old case file, saying that he was going for a bout of speleology.

So Ron's desk was basically cut off from the real world by walls of parchment. When he was working, in there, he was oblivious of whatever was going on with the Order' headquarters. At his lunch break, he did hear a few whisperings, in the vein of 'outrageous' or 'I hope that's not right'. But he paid it no attention whatsoever, until the middle of the afternoon, when there was a knock on his door frame. He raised his eyes to see his brother George, who sported an unusual look of concern on his face.

"Hey, George, what are you doing here?" asked Ron.

"Well, I've come to discuss the mess we're in," said his brother.

"The mess?" said Ron, puzzled.

"Didn't you hear?" asked George. "It's all everyone is talking about!"

George had a disgusted wince and threw a copy of a magazine at his desk. Ron caught it in mid-air and saw that it was an issue of Witch Weekly. Ron started to have a nasty creepy feeling that something was off, and no mistake, splashed across the cover, a magical montage that made his stomach churn.

"Oh, no, they didn't," he groaned.

"Oh, yes, they did," confirmed George.

* * *

_CHO CHANG'S NEW ROMANCE: BLAST FROM THE PAST!_

_Many sources have told us that famous Puddlemere Seeker Cho Chang has found both solace and passion with her new conquest, who may not be new at all. Freshly divorced from Jimmy Stringless, who has been allegedly cheating on her, Miss Chang seems to have found comfort in the arms of her first flame, none other than Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived himself. _

_The Chinese beauty and the newest addition to Hogwarts' staff have been seen together on Diagon Alley, doing some shopping and on other occasions. The young woman has even paid him a visit in Hogwarts' Castle._

_We will not elaborate on what qualities have appealed to Miss Chang in Mr. Potter, but we would like to issue a word of caution. Mr. Potter may not be as volatile as her ex-husband, whose lifestyle as a famous singer faces him with a lot of temptations, but still, the affair between Ms Chang and Mr. Potter is already placed under the sign of unfaithfulness, given Mr. Potter currently lives with our fellow reporter Ginevra Weasley, which means serious trouble at the horizon, if he's not honest in his love life. Is Ms Weasley's absence from the Castle, these days, a sign of the end of their relationship? And what does it mean for Mr. Potter's legendary friendship with the Weasley family, who nearly took him in, when he was young and have treated him as family ever since?_

_Mr. Potter's disregard for others' feelings should be a warning signal for Ms Chang, but there is no accounting for taste, is there? We do hope Ms Chang bouncing back from her recent misfortune is genuine._

_More details on page three..._

* * *

"You've got to be kidding me!" roared Harry, entering Hermione's apartment, still fuming.

"I take it you saw Witch Weekly," said Hermione with a wince.

"I thought this bastard knew better than to attack me again! Didn't he get the drift, when Stiller was sacked?" said Harry, pacing the living room.

"Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to have," said Hermione, seriously. "We had no ground to shut him down, either, without getting into yet another media circus. I only got the message from Ron. How bad is it?"

"It's freaking disaster waiting to happen," said Harry, dryly. "The students are discussing it at length, in all the school's hallways, and we're in the Holiday! Imagine when everyone returns for the next term! Kenneth warned me. Witch Weekly's article isn't that bad in itself. It's the usual, vaguely sourced, nonsensical trash Weathercap is used to publish, but it dropped enough hints so that his competitors all want in on the story, just to be sure not to be kept out of this one. All the people news papers are catching that ball. This will turn into a nightmare within days. According to Weathercap, I've been consoling Cho for months. Cho's divorce is recent enough for people to wonder if Jimmy Stringless was the only spouse to be unfaithful in their marriage. They're going to turn this into a freaking tragedy and drag Cho's name in the mud, while doing it."

"And Ginny being out of the country doesn't help, does it?" noted Hermione.

"You can say that again," said Harry, with a heavy sigh of annoyance. "I hope she doesn't get the people magazines where she is."

"It's not like she's going to believe it," said Hermione.

"No, but I'd like my girlfriend not to be sent to Azkaban for murdering a chief editor," said Harry.

"What are you going to do?" asked Hermione.

"I just can't go out there and deny it," he said. "Nobody will buy it. It'll look like I'm covering it up."

"So what? We wait it out?" said Hermione. "It's not going to work!"

"Yeah, well, I don't have any better idea, right now," sighed Harry, letting himself fall into an armchair. "More exactly, I've got plenty of them, but they all involve physical violence and that wouldn't help my image."

"Keep them in store," said Hermione. "If this turns as bad as I fear, we might need them."

* * *

Unfortunately, it did turn out as bad as Hermione feared it would be. Within three days Harry's life was turned into a media circus again. It began with a single reporter, chasing him through Hogsmeade, as Harry was walking through the village to apparate to the Burrow. Each and every single Gossip monger in England and even a few from Ireland had then decided to join the fun and give the country their take on Harry's love life.

I was clearly getting out of hand. Some pieces detailed what they called a very long and rocky love story, going back to Harry's and Cho's teens and their days in Hogwarts. They stated that the war had set them apart, because Harry probably wanted to keep Cho safe. Then, the years after were shown in a light that presented Harry as pining away for his lost love, trying to forget her through a string of bimbos, then more serious relationships, waiting for Cho to be free. When he was finally ready to move on (which implied that Ginny was a second best, and Harry kind of dreaded her reaction to _that_), Cho suddenly found herself divorced, allowing the old flame to spark again.

Harry had no idea of how it could get any cheesier or any more ridiculous, but the public seemed to love it. The drama, the sense of love against all odds had made the sales of the people press skyrocket in a matter of days. Like most situation like this, it had now a momentum of its own, without needing any new input from the recent events. A storm of owls was raging over London, where most papers had their offices. And now, a horde of reporters was camping out at the gates of Hogwarts, making it impossible for anyone to go in or out without being hounded by the press for a comment.

Thankfully, his friends and family didn't buy it. The twins joked about it, though Harry could tell that they were furious after Weathercap. Fred, especially, was really angry, and he had sent a letter to Harry detailing certain methods of torture as suggestion for Harry's next move. It was co-signed, for once, not by George, but by Angelina Johnson, who was still reeling from her own treatment by the press. His visit to the Burrow had reassured him that Molly wasn't buying it and was, in fact, so angry at Witch Weekly, that she had discontinued her subscription. Not that she needed one, anyway, since a copy of any new issue ended on her kitchen table for free, either brought home by Arthur, Ron or Hermione. Arthur wasn't convinced a lawsuit would help, since it wouldn't address the rumour.

Harry could have just waited it out, but there were two things that made it impossible. First, he couldn't turn a corner in the deserted school without walking into one of the students that had stayed behind, with one of the issues in hand. No need to explain how it could hurt his credibility as a teacher.

Second, Harry hadn't heard of Ginny, since the whole mess had begun, and he was now starting to worry about her reaction to all this.

* * *

"Professor?"

Harry stopped at the sound of Kenneth's voice calling after him in the hallway. The young boy was hurrying toward him, wearing his snow cloak, over simple clothes. He had still a few snow flakes in his hair.

"What is it, Kenneth?" asked Harry.

"Well, I was taking a walk in the grounds and I got drawn to the grids by the circus over there," said Kenneth.

Harry winced.

"Did they ask you for information?" he asked.

"I stayed away from the lot," said Kenneth. "But I saw Miss Weasley try to get into the grounds. But she has retreated, because they were all coming after her."

"Oh, for the love of... Freaking hell!" spat Harry. "I've got to go talk to her. Thanks for the warning."

"Don't mention it, Sir," said Kenneth.

Harry hurried through the corridors, and whipped up his wand.

"_Accio Firebol_t!" he said.

A few minutes later, as he emerged from the front gates, he was joined by his broomstick, which hovered next to him. He jumped on it, and took off to the sky, flying over the woods that separated the Castle from Hogsmeade. He knew that he just couldn't walk through that crowd of journalists, so he wasn't even going to try. He simply flew over the obstacle at full speed. Some people saw him and pointed in his direction, but if they hoped to catch him, they'd have to do much more than just point and gape.

It was useless to check Ginny's house in Hogsmeade. She would probably had found a more discrete refuge.

He knew that if he wouldn't be able to land, in order to apparate, so he focused on the Burrow, the little grove near his friends' home and he apparated.

Apparition on a broomstick wasn't easy, but Harry had always found it useful to avoid the press. He popped into the air next to the tall, twisted house of his best friends' family, and landed quickly. He hurried through the Weasley's backyard and reached the kitchen's door.

Molly Weasley saw him immediately and she had a reassuring smile, though she seemed upset.

"She's upstairs, in her old room," she told him, as soon as she had greeted him with a peck on his cheek. "She's a little cross, dear, so I wouldn't make her wait."

Harry nodded to that and climbed the stairs, nearly running. He reached her door, and knocked.

"Come in!" came a snappy voice, which elicited another wince from Harry.

She was pretty hacked off, apparently. He pushed the door open and found her on her old bed, her head resting on her arms. And he saw something that made his heart freeze for a second, before he burst into flames of rage. She had been crying!

"Ginny, love..." he began.

"Don't, Harry," she cut him. "Just don't bother explaining, alright?"

Harry was startled, and a little worried, to be honest. Ginny pushed herself up and faced him.

"I know you didn't do anything wrong, okay?" she said. "I trust you. I trust Cho. I know nothing is going on behind my back and I know I love you."

Harry released a breath he hadn't been aware he was holding. He walked to her slowly, and wiped the tears from her face. Ginny didn't just cry over nothing, so these meant something.

"But?" he said.

"But there's just one thing that struck pretty close to home," she said honestly. "Harry... am I second best to you? Did you settle for me..."

"Stop right there, Ginny," he said. "You know that it's not true. I'm not settling down for you. Not with Cho, not with anyone."

"Parvati..." began Ginny.

"You know that Parvati wasn't the right one for me and I wasn't the right one for her," said Harry. "Hex, you were the one to hear me explain why she left me. I traded up when I got with you, okay, Gin? Damnit, Ginevra Weasley, don't you know by now that you complete me? I couldn't find a person better suited for me, even if you weren't drop dead gorgeous."

Ginny had a smile through her tears.

"Don't overdo it, Harry," she said, with a twisted smile. "They had a point, though. Cho is your first..."

"Crush," said Harry. "Nothing more. I had a crush at fourteen, that's not uncommon. Besides, they got something wrong. I wasn't Cho's first flame. Cedric was."

"Right," said Ginny, thoughtfully.

She wiped her eyes once more and her whole attitude

"Then, I'm not sad," said Ginny. "I'm furious! How do they dare do this to me! To _me_! I work with some of these guys, and they turn my life into this? How can they even have the guts to pull this off? Oh, there will be hell to pay!"

This brought a little smile on his face.

"Now, that's my Ginny," he said, pulling her into a hug. "I was afraid those goons would get to you."

Ginny sought refuge into his chest, breathing heavily. Then she looked up and kissed him, hard, furiously. Harry responded passionately, and they nearly fell on her old bed. When they broke it, they were both panting a little and looking deep into each other's eyes.

"Wow," said Ginny. "That was... I didn't get a kiss like that in a while, Potter."

"True," said Harry. "I'll have to work on that."

He slowly dragged her, so that they would fall on the bed, snuggling together.

"Seriously, Ginny, I'm sorry you got dragged into that mess," he said. "And I would never have you believe that you're not the perfect woman for me."

"And I'm sorry for letting those bastards make me doubt, for a second," said Ginny. "So, now, what do we do?"

"First," said Harry. "We snog a lot, because I've missed you and I don't want to spend another Christmas away from you."

Ginny chuckled.

"Smart ass," she chided him, but he only grinned back at her.

"Second, after we have snogged, we get down there and reassure your mother that you're okay," Harry went on. "And then, we need to find a way through this mess."

"Together?" said Ginny, seeking her favourite spot into his arms.

"Together," said Harry. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

* * *

A few hours later, Harry and Ginny had decreed that they would stay at the Burrow, for the moment. After the snogging session that Harry had decided, they had conferred with Molly, Arthur, Ron and Hermione, who had come to join them. While Ron was still fuming, something a little off with Hermione caught Harry's attention. She was sympathetic, of course, and she had good suggestion to clear up the mess, but she seemed a little distracted, in a good way. She kept having this little smile on her face. But he lost the occasion to bring it up during dinner.

The next day, after Harry and Ginny had spent the night in Ron's wing of the Burrow, in the large guest room, the two of them had compared notes on the disaster. The whole situation was making Harry cringe. Ginny had used some of her contacts to review the damage, but Harry had a pretty good idea of the situation. Weathercap was out for blood, and he had gotten the involuntary help of half the reporters of people press, too stupid to realize they were playing right into his hand.

And things were just about to get worse.

"Harry! Ginny!" Ron called them from downstairs, in the afternoon.

Harry had been dozing in the room, snuggled against Ginny. They had felt the need to spend some quality time together before to face the storm, if only to make sure to catch up after the weeks apart. Ron's bellow woke him with a start.

"You're such a marmot," laughed Ginny, before to get up and go open the door. "What is it, Ron? It'd better be good!" she called back.

"Cho's here," came the reply.

"Uh-ho," said Harry, as he got up.

They went downstairs to find a rather distraught Cho Chang sitting at the living room's table. When the Asian girl looked up, she saw Ginny come first, Harry right behind her, her eyes widened.

"Ginny, please," she said. "Tell me you didn't believe any of... "she began hastily.

Ginny interrupted her with a raised hand.

"Cho," she said. "Rule number one of journalism by Ginny Weasley: If it comes from Witch Weekly it's rubbish. Don't worry about that, Cho. Even if I didn't know and trust you, I'd still trust Harry."

Cho seemed relieved.

"Thank Morgana," she said. "I'm so sorry, about the mess," she added.

"Don't be," said Harry. "It's the other way around. Weathercap tries to go at me, to make me look bad. He's using you as an excuse. If you hadn't been divorced, he would have pulled something else, eventually. I guess he had a story, kept somewhere in his office, about the passionate love Hermione and I share behind the Weasleys' back. You just happened to be handy, so it fell on you."

Ron feigned a scowl, but Hermione chuckled. Cho winced again.

"I'm afraid I just made it worse," she said.

"What are you talking about?" asked Ginny.

"I wanted to find a way to counter the mayhem in the press," she explained. "So I thought I needed to compare notes with you before we did anything, and..."

"And you showed up at Hogwarts' gates," said Harry, with a moan.

"I'm sorry," said Cho. "I had no idea that they were camping there. I swear to Merlin, they only saw me for a minute, there, but I thought they were going to charge at me. I fled as fast as I could, but I think they caught a few shots of me approaching. You think it will create another wave?"

Ginny had a groan of annoyance. Harry rolled his eyes.

"I can see it from here," he said. "_'Cho Chang's visit to her new flame'_, read all about it. That's promising."

"I'm sorry, Harry," said Cho. "I didn't mean to make it worse."

"Don't worry," said Ginny, "as long as we don't find a way to counter Weathercap, it won't blow over. If Harry only walked in Diagon Alley, it would be published as 'Harry going to get some special time with the hot Seeker'."

"Do they even have the right to do this?" asked Cho. "I mean, can't I sue them?"

"Oh, I guess you could," said Hermione. "Actually... that would be better," she said. "If Harry sues, it will look like he has a grudge against Weathercap. But if Cho is threatening with a lawsuit... and I think we can get Angelina to add her own legal action… that would carry more weight."

"Good," said Cho. "Because if those bastards are going to suffer, I want in on dealing the suffering."

They were interrupted by Bill, before Harry could laugh at her tone, that he hadn't heard in her since the war. Ron's older brother showed up, a magazine in hand. He was torn between annoyance and an amused smile. It did turn to surprise, though, when he saw that Cho was here.

"Well, I guess I don't need to tell you about Witch Daily's latest headline," he said with a smile, nodding to Cho. "They've done it again."

"Alright," said Harry. "Let's have it."

Bill unfolded the paper and laid it out on the table. There, in bold, golden letters, the headline was loud and clear.

_CHO CHANG'S VISIT TO HER NEW FLAME._

It sent the whole room into hysterical laughter, save for Bill, who looked a little puzzled. Even Cho was wiping tears of mirth from her eyes. Bill's expression didn't help to calm them down.

"Am I missing something, here?" he asked.

"Don't worry about it," said Ginny, regaining her calm. "It's just that Harry seems to be potentially gifted in creating headlines for rags like Witch Daily. You should buy the paper, Harry, so we'd be done with the mess," she laughed.

Harry's mind came full stop and he stopped laughing. He considered what she had just said. A thousand possibilities came rushing into his mind and a plan was starting to take shape. It would involve a serious bluff, a way to test how much it had worked... and to do something he didn't like to do, but that would become necessary if the press kept using him as a public persona.

"I think you just gave me an idea," he said, his expression turning cunning.

"Do tell, Potter," said Ginny, with a grin. "You suddenly have that look on your face, the one when you pull out the Marauder's map and start to plot something."

Harry's smiled turned feral.

"Bill, I'll need your help," he said.

"Anything, mate," said Bill.

"I will need a complete account of my assets in Gringotts," he said.

Everyone looked at him strangely.

"What's your plan?" asked Ron.

"I think we need to scare the living daylights out of Mark Weathercap," said Harry.


	15. Striking Back (the perks of fame)

_I'm so sorry it took me so long to update on this, but both real life and plot bunnies have taken me away from this one. I'll try to be quicker about the next ones._

_Huge thanks to those who read me and a very special thanks to **Aru1459** for the kind words of support._

_Here comes the next bit, which is more silly comedy than real plot. it's one of those ideas that were born from the need to rewrite this story. Once I had shifted Harry's Love interest to Ginny, I needed something more in character for her to explain why she had been away from Hogwarts for the Yule Ball._

* * *

Striking back (the perks of fame)

* * *

Ginny Weasley's return to the public eye came on the day right after Witch Daily published the news of Cho's visit to Hogwarts. With Ginny's hasty retreat, the day before, it had been mixed up and published as an account of how Ginny had realised she had been replaced by the Chinese beauty in Harry's heart and had fled the scene, heartbroken. And Cho's arrival, the very next day, was just a sign that the young woman was coming to take her place in the Castle.

That was so preposterous that Ginny had read a serious piece about it in the Daily Prophet, saying to be careful with gossip as a base for news publishing.

Everybody expected Ginny's next move, to twist it and turn it into another plot twist in the whole drama. They didn't expect Ginny's next apparition to be in the editing room of the Herald. She walked to the office of her editor, Alcyone Hillfang, as if nothing was amiss. Many of her friends threw her surprised looks and some were full of sympathy. Ginny had a snort at the thought. However misplaced their sympathy was, she could use it.

She knocked at Hillfang's door.

"Hey, boss," she said. "I'm back. My piece on the summit will be on your desk in three hours."

"Hello, Ginny," said the editor, with a smile. "I see you managed no to let this whole mess get to your work."

"Oh, it got to me, alright," said Ginny. "But I won't give them the satisfaction."

"That's the spirit," said Alcyone.

"Actually, I would like a favour," she said.

"Go on," said Alcyone, carefully.

"What would you say, if I told you I can strike back at Weathercap?" said Ginny.

"I'd say, give him hell for me, will you?" said Alcyone.

His own professionalism was only matched by his contempt for the way people like Mark Weathercap worked. He regularly spat on the methods, contents and overall quality of Witch Weekly publications.

"What do you need?" asked Hillfang.

"I need to hijack your editing room," said Ginny. "I need your front page."

Alcyone Hillfang was an experienced news monger. He knew what should be done and shouldn't be done in the direction of a newspaper. Ginny knew he had strong ethics. But he had also a good sense of what sold paper. So his smile was no surprise to her when he said.

"You got it."

* * *

Any celebrity's entrance in the editorial room of Witch Weekly was an event in itself. Whether they would be invited for an interview or showing up to file a complaint, the latter being as frequent as the former, their arrival was noticed at once, if only for the battalion of lawyers that usually came with them.

Harry Potter's entrance at Witch Weekly was unlike any entrance the magazine and its affiliates had ever known. He went through the door completely unnoticed. But, where others would have taken advantage of that, Harry got his wand out and pointed it at his throat.

"_Sonorus Maxima_," he said.

When he cleared his throat, to catch everyone's attention, the walls trembled slightly. Silence fell brutally on the noisy room and all eyes turned to him.

"Got your attention, didn't I?" he said, sending another tremor through the room, making a few people cringe. "Good! Now, will someone be kind enough to show me where Mark Weathercap is holed up, please?"

It was all in all polite, but the volume of his question was enough to crack a few windows. Many people looked at him with horrified glances, but Harry could see one or two smiles, here and there. Someone even pointed toward a golden door, at the other end of the room, toward which a short flight of stairs led.

"Thank you," said Harry, this time shattering the windows that had cracked earlier, while the rest of the room trembled. "Now, should any of you step in my way, even by a toe, they will find themselves either hexed or sued, depending on their level of involvement in the articles that are currently messing with my life. Consider yourselves warned."

As expected, he walked across the entire room unopposed. He reached the golden door, expecting to find the room empty. If Weathercap had done the smart thing and run, then Harry would simply wait for him. But instead of signs of a hasty exit, he found the man sitting at his desk, apparently oblivious of what was going on. Harry smirked.

_Sound proofed_, he thought. _It figures. There's a man who likes to follow his collaborators' work._

He lifted the charm on his throat and with a last meaningful look to the crowd outside, he closed the door with a flourish of his wand. It slammed shut, which had the merit to draw Weathercap's attention.

"This had better be worth it," he said, dryly, "whoever you are..."

Harry had a deadly smile.

"I seem to recall telling you that you wouldn't like it, if I was to show up at your office, Weathercap," he said. "So how's life, old chap? Oh, right, keep that wand out of your hand."

He had pointed his own wand at the editor, who was reacting as if he was under attack. The guy looked at him like was a Dementor of some kind.

"So, where was I? Oh, yes," said Harry went on. "I was mentioning the fact I had warned you about messing with my private life? Not only did you disregard my warning completely, but you went all out with it and plain lied to the public about me. So, alright, I get it. You're upset that I sent a howler to your office, two years ago, without going through your lawyers. But this... insult to journalism you had the gall to call an article regarding me and my friends can't be justified by this alone. So what the hell is wrong with you?"

Weathercap seemed to realize that Harry wasn't about to curse him, so he regained a little of his nerves. A nasty smile came to his face. He was an elegant man, with hair elaborately combed and a tan that showed that he knew how to take a vacation. The smile he had made him look like a jerk from a soap opera.

"You're a public persona, Potter," he said. "That means you're fair game."

"Not to libel, Weathercap," said Harry. "And everything you printed about me is pure lies."

"Prove it," sneered Weathercap. "You can't prove a rumour wrong.

"How about a statement under Veritaserum, attested by the Ministry?" countered Harry.

"Well then a rumour will be printed about how you have so many fans at the Ministry that they would do anything to help you," said Weathercap, his smile growing wider. "The Boy-Who-lived would be using his influence to fake official test? What impact do you think this would have on the public? You can't win against me, Potter. You thought you were above me? That you don't play the same game than me? We'll see how long the famous Harry Potter keeps the public's love if I go all out. How about that? Next, not only have you betrayed your girlfriend with Cho Chang, but you've managed to also seduce you dear friend, Professor Granger-Weasley, further hurting the poor Weasley family. How does that sound?"

Harry had a smirk. Even his evil plans sounded out of a soap opera.

"That sounds pathetic, at best," he said. "But since you won't hear reason, you force me to do something I loathe to do."

"And what is that?" mocked Weathercap. "You're going to curse me? Saint Potter would steep that low and throw away his principles and curse an honest journalist? That's pretty dark, my friend. The public won't forgive you that."

"You think I need to curse you to end you, Weathercap?" said Harry. "That only shows that you're just as stupid as you're incompetent."

This seemed to take Weathercap aback, somewhat, but he kept his hard face.

"Meaning?" he asked silkily.

"Meaning that, before you decided to go after me, you should have done your homework," mused Harry. "You seem to be under the impression that I'm the poor little orphan boy that Rita Skeeter told the world about. Oh, yes, he turned out to be a hero, but really what can he do in the Wizarding World without Dumbledore or his Quidditch contacts? His biggest achievement would be to have won the World Cup, but that's as far as he goes, right? Well, let me clear up something for you, _friend._ I'm not only an orphan. I'm a last heir."

"What?" said Weathercap, unsure to understand.

"I'm rich, Weathercap," explained Harry. "I choose not to show it off, because I loathe snobs and I fought against people who thought that money gave them every right. So, yeah, I'm not like the Malfoys, but I'm the sole heir to the Potter Line. And I'm also the last heir of the House of Black. Basically, I'm the richest heir of Wizarding England. I don't need the money, so I invested it. The Goblins in Gringotts worship the ground I walk on just because managing my fortune has made them filthy rich. I'm the first investor in Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, one of the most successful businesses in the decade. So I'll make it clear, and show you I can play your game. If you don't stop printing lies about me, I won't curse you. But I will go pay a visit to Basil Hollypimton, and buy Witch Weekly Publications from him. I have checked. I can afford your rag, and still keep my family safe from any need for a good generation. So I'll buy you, and of course, as a new owner, I'll decide on a new editorial line. Meaning: you get fired, and I'll use my popularity, as you call it, to make sure you don't ever find a job again."

Weathercap had suddenly blanched. He must have realized that he had misjudged Harry's game.

"You wouldn't! I..."

"Try me," said Harry. "Actually, let's put it to the test, shall we? Tomorrow, the Herald is going to publish a column by one Ginevra Weasley. I think you know her. It's bound to be pretty offensive to you. I guess you ticked her off, for some reason. Maybe she is upset by what she has read about her boyfriend on her way home. So she'll probably vent a little. Now, if Witch Weekly's reaction to this piece exceeds the words 'no comment', I'll send an owl to Mr Hollypimton. Are we clear on that?"

Weathercap was mute in horror.

"Hello? Mark? I asked you something," snapped Harry. "Are we clear?"

"Yes..." he grumbled.

"Good!" exclaimed Harry, brightly. "I'll leave you to your business, now. Oh, by the way, my warning stands for my friends, as well, so don't believe you can just divert your attention to... let's say, Hermione Granger-Weasley, just to avoid being kicked out. My friends are off-limits, and it also includes Cho Chang. Why don't you focus your attention on the people who seek it?"

Weathercap's shoulders slumped, as he was sinking deep into his chair, defeated.

"Have a good day, Mr. Weathercap," said Harry loudly, as he opened the door. "I'm glad we could sort this out."

He then went through the editorial room again, leaving the editor's door open, under the eyes of hundreds of employees, who saw their tyrannical boss looked wide eyed in fear. As he stepped into the elevator that would lead him back to the streets of London, he turned to face the gawking crowd and give a salute.

"Make sure to catch the Herald's next issue," he said. "Should be educational to many."

The doors closed right at the end of his sentence. He wouldn't have managed such a perfect timing, had he tried.

* * *

_A column from the Herald_

* * *

_I LEAVE YOU ALONE FOR FIVE MINUTES..._

_It is frankly both amazing and disgusting to be confronted to this sad truth: go abroad for a few days and the whole country goes to the dogs. I assume it was the state of mind of Cheldon Ambrosius upon returning from Vienna to London after a major International summit. Most governments of the Wizarding World were represented, and delicate and important issues such as the cooperation between Aurors, trade regulation, and of course the terms of the next Quidditch World Cup were discussed. _

_And what does Mr Ambrosius find, when he comes back? His entire country is plunged in a wild speculation rally about the personal life of Harry Potter. I think he must have thought he had travelled back in time to the days right after the War, making him think his whole mandate has been null and void._

_Now, of course, I'm not writing these lines to speak about politics, although my recent trip with the Minister showed me how fascinating the subject can be and a full report of the summit will be included in next issue. No, I bring up our Honourable Minister's state of mind because I kind of shared it when I set foot back in England a few days ago, although on a much more personal level._

_Let me get this straight. I've been dating Harry Potter for more than two years, now. I live with him in Hogwarts Castle. I accompany a delegation to Austria for two weeks and when I return, I find the country gossiping away about my tragic love life and the furious passion he shares with another witch? Imagine my surprise to have travelled in time to the times where Harry was a famous Quidditch player with a crazy love life._

_Even worse, the gossip is about Harry's supposed romance with Cho Chang. Now it's not just four years back in the past. I'm suddenly back in Hogwarts as a fourth year student. Seriously? Are you guys for real?_

_I read all sort of codswallop on my way home. Harry and Cho would have reignited a love that had never truly died since they were fifteen and sixteen respectively. Some of my esteemed colleagues even pushed their gall to claim I had been kicked out of my apartment in Hogwarts without a warning, and that Harry and my brother Ron had fought over this with wand and fists._

_The first report about this searing hot love affair was found in the pages of - oh, the surprise – Witch Weekly. And based on this excellent publication, many of my fellow reporters chose to spread the story, even among the esteemed staff of the Daily Prophet. They chose to disregard a very important rule in journalism._

_Honestly, I thought we had settled this already. I'll repeat it, here. _

_When the subject is Harry Potter, and it is found in Witch Weekly, it's a bunch of lies!_

_Come on! You all know that my boyfriend has stepped on the toes of Mark Weathercap, when he chose to voice his displeasure about a piece written about him through a howler to the editor's office. This is widely known in the world of reporters. And we all know that Mr Weathercap considers this a crime of 'lese-majesty', and so decided a vendetta against 'Mr Potter'. So, in the columns of Witch Weekly, he was called a menace, a madman, a trouble maker, a cheater, a Dark Arts practitioner (of all things!), and basically had his name dragged in the mud at each occasion available. And now, he supposed to be unfaithful to me with Cho Chang?_

_Let us be serious, here. I have the utmost respect for the readers of Witch Weekly, but even they know that when they want real news, they go pick the Prophet, the Herald, and in the case of one of my good friend, the Quibbler. So Witch Weekly deals in gossip and cooking recipes. And yet, the headlines of the entire country have suddenly started to follow their lead? Are you out of your mind?_

_I'm still hopefully waiting for a sign that Mark Weathercap has an ounce of ethics, buried in the rotten shell of his heart. But it seems it's not for this year. That this man has yet again succeeded in personally assaulting me and my boyfriend with his newspaper appals me, to be honest, but that he had such a help by so many certified journalists is sickening._

_I'll resort to a simple statement of facts, now._

_Fact: Harry Potter and I are still living together in Hogwarts Castle and are very much in love, thank you very much. If you don't believe me, come to tell me this face to face, and I'll educate you._

_Fact: Harry Potter and Cho Chang haven't been romantically involved behind my back, and in fact haven't been romantically involved since the end of Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts. That's eight years ago, fellows. Anyone believing otherwise is either stupid or very gullible, both qualities that make the life of parasites like Mark Weathercap possible._

_Fact: Cho Chang, Seeker for Puddlemere has announced that she was about to file a lawsuit again the owner of Witch Weekly. She's been joined in her efforts by Ms Angelina Johnson, Captain of the Wimbourne Wasps, still under the trauma of Witch Weekly's coverage of her break-up, last year._

_Fact: if I see another word about this nonsense published in any paper, I will personally visit the author and this will be a cause for a challenge to a Wizarding duel in good form. For those who like their chances, I recommend they check my track record, and be advised that I'll make the duel public._

_Now that these simple facts have been stated, I will simply remind everyone of the good old days, of a glorious time when the headlines of the Wizarding British press weren't dictated by the spiteful quill of Mark Weathercap, and his odious and unethical manipulation of the truth. I'm not asking such a memory effort. That was two weeks ago._

_Now, to quote the words of my esteemed colleague Vanessa Shimpling, directed at Mr Weathercap himself, two years ago. _

_Can someone just sack the guy, please?_

* * *

Ron had a snickering laugh as he put down the issue of the Herald.

"I think this is the biggest reason why I'm so proud of my sister," he said. "She has such an amazing quill."

"Well, she'll be glad to hear that, coming from you," said Hermione. "Where is she?"

"She's preparing her return to Hogwarts," said Ron. "It should be fun, too. Too bad it won't be as public."

* * *

On the next evening, Ginny apparated in her house, at the edge of Hogsmeade, and casually walked out to head for the Hogwarts grounds. Strolling in the snowed streets of the village, she breathed in the crisp air, getting her wand out of her robes, just in case she might need it to prove her point.

As she reached the Hogwarts Gates, she could see the flock of journalists still camping at the grids, and shook her head in disgust. It had to be a very dull winter indeed if nothing newsworthy was happening, to the point that so many guys in the business needed to spy on her private life to get something to print.

If reporters were one thing, they were perceptive, because they saw coming from afar, but something in the way she moved told them that she meant business and so they didn't charge at her, like last time, to assault her with questions. Ginny only walked to them, without a change in her pace.

"Evening, guys," she said. "Now if you haven't spent all days and night camping out at these gates just so you could hound me and my boyfriend, led in that by – and it's sad in itself – the whim of Mark Weathercap of all people, you may have noticed that the Herald has issued a headline that I signed."

Some reporters showed that they had read the issue and one even gulped.

"If you must know, it is but a tenth of what I'm capable of," Ginny went on, showing off her wand. "I'll be clear and I'll say it only one. If one of you puts a toe in my way as I'm going home, if any of you guys is still here the next time I get out, or if any of you puts even a word about my private life in your respective papers, they'll find themselves not only at the business end of one of my hexes, but the subject of the very next piece I write for the Herald."

She threw look around.

"Any questions?" she asked.

The horde of journalist did the only thing that made sense... they fled like a frightened flock of birds. Between the wizards and witches apparating out of her way, and the ones who hastily stepped out of her path, Ginny really felt like a dragon among sheep. With a little smug smile, she walked to the grids, flicked her wand at them, and they opened to let her through. She flicked her wand without any look back and the grids closed at her heels. She managed to walk the trail up from the grids through the forest without sending a single look behind her.

As she walked by the kailyard, she saw Hagrid, who raised his eyes from a curious kind of frozen vegetable that was sprouting snow in the air, as if was sneezing. Hagrid had been in the process of putting a little scarf around the roots, when he saw Ginny. His smiled made a few bits of ice fall from his beard.

"Alrigh' there, Ginny?" he called in the distance.

She waved back happily and walked on, until she had reached the courtyard, where three students were in the middle of a terrifying snow war. She raised a shield to protect herself from the snow, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Humming a little to herself, she climbed the short flight of stairs that led to the great doors and the entrance Hall. As she crossed the Hall, she walked into Flavia Sinistra, who smiled at her.

"Hello, Miss Weasley," she said. "How was Austria?"

"Cold," said Ginny with a smile. "But the summit was fun."

"Excellent," said the astronomy teacher. "We will see you at dinner, then?"

"Certainly," said Ginny. "I missed the food from the Castle."

She started up the stairs and was greeted by Nearly Headless Nick.

"Oh, Ginevra, my dear," said the ghost, brightly. "Would you know what reason led Harry to get back here on his broom, by this cold? I would advise you to watch him before he catches his death on that thing."

"I'll make sure he doesn't, Sir Nicholas," said Ginny, with a wink that made the ghost turn a lighter shade of silver.

Ginny laughed and trotted up the stairs, heading for the South Tower. So Harry had managed to slip by, using his broom? Well, to each their own methods, but a broomstick was a classic. Reaching the South Tower floor where their apartment was, she didn't even bother to get her key. Harry never locked. She entered the apartments and got rid of her coat on the hanger near the door.

When she made her way into the living room, she was greeted by the sight of Harry, sprawled on the couch, the Herald laid down on his belly, asleep. Clearly he had tried to wait for her, but had failed. Ginny had a chuckle. It was official, her boyfriend was a marmot. He could fall asleep at any time of day, getting whatever sleep he could whenever he could. Smiling, she went to sit beside him.

Harry was a light sleeper, so he felt her and his eyes shot open. The smile he had when he saw her never failed to warm Ginny's heart. Without a word, she began to settle near him.

"Move over, you big tree," she said.

Harry, grinning, made some space on the couch, so she could lay down beside him and snuggle against him. She had a content sigh, once she was settled in his arms. She pulled at the copy of the Herald, looked at the headline, casually. It was hers. She smiled.

"So, how was _your_ day, Hon'?" she asked.

Harry's laugh was contagious, that was one thing you had to know about him. One you had to know about Ginny was that for her, Harry's laugh was arousing.

Needless to say they were late for dinner. Actually, they didn't show up. To be perfectly accurate, they weren't heard from or seen by anyone until late into the next day. Sometimes a private setting is better to catch up on some things.

* * *

Harry and Ginny had barely left the bedroom, all day. But eventually, they had to get down to he Great Hall for the next dinner, if only to put an end to the rumours among students. So they dragged themselves to their living room in the afternoon.

"So, apart from this whole mess, how was Austria?" asked Harry, over tea.

"Very interesting," said Ginny. "I can't really print that out, but having seen some delegations if you think our Ministry is complicated, we're the epitome of simplicity, compared to some. But the talks were fascinating."

"Good," said Harry, "I can't wait to read that piece."

"Since it was the reason Weathercap had a chance of nearly plunging our couple into chaos?" joked Ginny.

"I wasn't that assignment that started it," said Harry. "Weathercap would have done it no matter what. You being absent was just a lucky break for him. It gave him an angle. Had you been there, he would have run the story differently, probably with more drama, a long portrayal of you as the distraught, betrayed young maid."

"I guess he would have gone that way," said Ginny. "I do give off a good "innocent and naïve" vibe, compared to Cho, don't I?"

"Luckily for me, I'm but your apprentice in the matters of deviousness," said Harry.

"Bow to me, my servant," laughed Ginny. "Well, I'm still grateful that jerk Weathercap didn't have anyone sent to the summit, or he would have gotten even juicier material."

"Why do you say that?" asked Harry, surprised.

"I was meaning to tell you," said Ginny. "But you must promise not to get mad."

"You know full well that I don't give that kind of promises anymore, Gin", said Harry. "I always end up breaking them. Especially when you begin the story by 'promise not to get mad'."

"I expected you to say that," said Ginny, with a smile. "Anyway, it wasn't such a big deal, so... But there weren't only officials and reporters, there. There was a whole bunch of rich people that were there to keep an eye on their interests. And among them, there was... that guy."

Said on any other tone, it could have worried Harry, but Ginny had let so much contempt and loathing slip through her sentence that he chose to joke about it.

"Alright," he said. "Name of the wizard, nature of the offence and time of death, please."

"Idiot," she said, with an unconvinced slap at his shoulder. "His name was Archibald Weyland Irons, if you would believe that. He emphasized the 'W' enough, like it had a special meaning. He claimed to be a billionaire of some sort, and I happened to look his name up. He's the heir of some pretty big shot in America. Filthy rich."

"Wow," said Harry. "So a billionaire tried to sweep you off your feet. I guess that since you came home, it means he was ugly or such a dumbass that you felt I was worth it."

"Something like that," smiled Ginny. "But that was before I read about you frolicking with that hot Chinese Seeker... What was her name, again? Chang Ho?"

"Play nice, love," chuckled Harry. "So what did he do to piss you off?"

"Well, he tried to be smooth about it," said Ginny. "He was flattering. He was charming, admiring... and on the whole, very annoying, but nothing I couldn't handle. The problem was that, as soon as he got a name and a 'good evening', he considered I was won. It was just a matter of time, for him."

"Taking Ginny Weasley for granted," winced Harry. "Deadly mistake."

"And don't you forget it, Potter," said Ginny, with a smile, while tapping his forehead with her finger. "Anyway, I tried to be polite, then I tried the blunt way, but nothing seemed to deter him. Three days into the summit, I had resorted to stick so closely to Ambrosius that Security would keep the jerk at bay. I think he thought that our dear Minister was either my Dad or I was his trophy girlfriend, which is pretty sick. The only thing useful I got out of this, was that Ambrosius was amused by my predicament. We bonded a little over the Summit and I got a lot of exclusives."

Harry had a snort of laughter.

"One day, he showed up with a river of diamonds," said Ginny, and Harry's laughter died out, as he gaped at her.

"No way," he said.

"Keep that in mind, as well," said Ginny. "Next time you want to skip your turn at doing the dishes, you think back to what I had to give up for you."

"Duly noted," said Harry. "Though you know I would offer you rivers of diamonds, if I though for a minute that you would wear them."

"I know," said Ginny. "I'm so glad I found out you're filthy rich, too."

"Right," said Harry. "So far, he has been a little heavy. What did he do to earn that contempt in your voice."

"When I refused his jewels and told him I wasn't interested," she explained, "he told me that he just had to find the proper incentive."

"What? You're kidding me?" he exclaimed.

"And this is the part where I want you not to get mad," said Ginny. "There nothing you can do about it, anyway. But I could hardly believe the nerve of this guy."

"So he basically implied that you were for sale, and... he was negotiating price?" said Harry.

"Yep," said Ginny.

"So he implied you were a whore," said Harry, between clenched teeth, but he regained control over himself. "Cue in the Avada Kedavra. How did you manage to evade the Aurors?" he added with a grin.

He joked about it, but he could tell that Ginny was just as upset as he was.

"A slap felt actually more satisfying," said Ginny. "I told him that if he ever came into my sight again, hexes would fly."

"That's my girl," grinned Harry. "But you're right, it's better Witch Weekly didn't get word of this guy, or its supplement would have been about the fairy tale of you being rescued from bitterness of betrayal by Prince Charming from overseas."

"Quite nicely put, love," said Ginny. "But trust me, he wasn't even worthy of being the toad."

"Was he at least handsome, to be sure so freaking sure of himself?" asked Harry.

"He was okay," said Ginny. "If you like that type. I'm all set at home, mind you, so I didn't pay attention."

"Why, thank you, my dear Miss Weasley," said Harry. "May I reply in kind by stating that you make gorgeous Chinese Seekers look out of place?"

"You'd better," said Ginny, drawing him closer for a kiss that eventually led to many other things.

* * *

At the very next dinner, it was clear the mood had improved greatly in the whole Castle. The students could tell that Professor Potter looked a lot less stressed. After the news coverage of Miss Weasley's return to Hogwarts, most students had now realized that break up was not in the air for the Defence Teacher.

So, at dinner, students saw that not only was Miss Weasley back in the school, but she openly claimed her status as she joined the table with a spectacular kiss, without a care about the few students that remained in the Great Hall.

Kenneth was glad to see his teacher's trouble brought to an end. He had seen the mess he had been in, from rumours and the papers' headlines. He was relieved that things were finally quieting down. Since Potter had given him his support during this whole Duel mess, Kenneth couldn't depart from a fondness for him. And the training sessions they had set up together did a lot to get them closer. Kenneth did learn a lot about his own gifts during the sessions and he like the humourous, easy manner of the defence teacher.

The situation was far better for most of people in the Castle. First, Professor Potter had found his good mood again. Second, Kenneth was much less depressed than before Christmas. His chats with both Potter and Kalindra had opened new horizons for him. He knew that sooner or later, he would have to speak to Julie, and the prospect didn't bother him so much, now.

Ian seemed to be much more stable now. Kenneth had been worrying for him lately, fearing that he could breakdown, under too much pressure. Kenneth had been clear to every student of the Tower that had stayed for the holiday. The first one he would catch calling Ian a freak would suffer his wrath. The duel with Donahue had had the advantage to guarantee him to be listened closely.

But since Christmas, Ian seemed eager to do some research. He was spending most of his time in the library with Joel and Kieran.

What he was looking for remained a mystery for Kenneth. He was hoping that it could help him to get a grip on his powers.

* * *

Dinner ended. As Harry and Ginny were walking out of the Hall, discussing the case of Julie with Alexander and Phyllis, Ron caught up with them.

"Can you guys join us for a last drink?" he asked.

"I can't drink", said Phyllis.

"Yeah, I know," said Ron. "But we have something to tell you."

Harry and the others exchanged puzzled looks, then nodded. They followed Ron to the Tower where he was sharing an apartment with his wife. But before they got there, Alexander stopped, as he had seen Ian in one of the Corridors.

"I'll join you in a minute," he said.

When they all entered the Weasleys' apartment, Hermione was already here with Professor McGonagall. She looked delighted but McGonagall was clearly puzzled, as well. They all settled in the couches and Ron served some drinks, and poured some orange juice for Phyllis, who told Hermione not to wait for Alexander.

"If he's speaking with Ian, he's in for a long time," she said.

"Alright," said Hermione. "Now that I'm sure that everyone in here is in the right mood to learn this, I have an announce to make."

She threw a meaningful look to Harry and Ginny, who rolled her eyes, but squeezed Harry's hand tenderly, without a word.

"So, go ahead, 'Mione," said Harry. "What can be so important that you had to wait until Ginny kicked an editor's arse before you could tell us."

Hermione smiled at him. Ron stood up and placed himself behind her, throwing his arms around her waist. With a tender smile, Hermione leant against him.

"Well, I'm pregnant," she said.

They all must have looked thunderstruck, even McGonagall, because Ron chuckled a little.

"Look at your faces, mates," he said.

Harry stood up.

"Wow! Wow! How long have you known this?"

"Two weeks, now," said Hermione. "I thought It would be better to announce it later…"

"Wow!" Harry exclaimed again. "It's really… brilliant!" he finally said, and he pulled Hermione into a frantic hug.

Ginny stood up and hugged Ron. She then kissed Hermione on the cheek, as Ron was giving his best friend a bear hug. Phyllis still hadn't moved.

"That's so great, Hermione," said Ginny, moved to tears.

"Wonderful news, dear," said McGonagall, joining them, and embracing Hermione as well.

Alexander walked in the apartment at this moment. He looked around at the beaming faces, then he turned to Hermione. He smiled cunningly.

"So you finally told them?"

"What? You knew?" exclaimed Ron, his eyes widened in disbelief.

"And you too?" Hermione asked Phyllis, who nodded, grinning. "But how?"

"Well, that wasn't too hard," said Alexander. "First, you two looked pretty excited about something while everyone here was completely stressed out or worried. Second, you're positively beaming, since things got better. Third, you've been absent from your class a whole morning. You! So I guess you had to be at the doctor, weren't you?"

Hermione chuckled and nodded.

"And Last?" asked Ron.

"Last, I happen to know a very good expert of pregnancy, these days," he said, pointing to his wife. "Phyllis guessed it six days ago."

He helped the redhead witch to get on her feet. She hugged Hermione warmly.

"I'm thrilled for you, honey," said the Irish woman. "This little one won't have to wait for too long to have a friend in here."

"It's so wonderful to think that Children will be raised in this Castle," said McGonagall, smiling.

"Speaking about raising a child in the Castle, I wanted to ask you about something, Professor," said Ron. "How do you think we can prevent Peeves from haunting the childhood of our kid?"

"I could talk to the Bloody Baron," said Alexander. "He happens to like me, Merlin knows why. I could ask him to make sure that Peeves leaves the kids alone."

"And there's something else we wanted to ask you, Minerva," said Hermione, timidly. "It was if you would accept to be our child's godmother."

McGonagall gasped and her hand went at her mouth, while tears were getting to her eyes.

"Yes, of course, dearest," she said, hugging Hermione again.

She then kissed Ron on both Cheeks and Ron had wide smile to Harry.

"Are you in for the Godfather thing?" he asked.

Harry smiled back. He was very glad to be offered such a chance.

"Did you have to ask, mate?" he said, taking Ron's arm.

Hermione jumped to his neck and kissed him.

"Thanks, Harry!" she whispered.

"No, thank you, girl," said Harry. "For so many things. I owe you so much in my life that I couldn't even think of refusing. Anyway, you'll repay me the kindness sooner or later."

He saw Ginny blush slightly but she smiled to him. They all drank to the next Weasley kid. Harry wished him or her the same happiness than his or her parents. Then they improvised a little party in the living room.

* * *

_Done! Okay, next chapter will see the story focus back on the students a little, which is quite logical, since term is about to resume. _


	16. The Tenser Potion

_**A/N: Okay, first off, I need to offer my apologies to everyone that follows this story for the delay between the last two posts and this one. I know I said I would post more often, but a sudden combination of real life, work, the upcoming first birthday of my daughter and plot bunnies from a Galaxy far far away and from the DC universe have left me with a serious case of writer block on this fiction. **_

_**I have managed to finally get back to work on it. I'm looking at a full week at home, now, so I'll try to get a few chapters ready for posting, this time. I mean it, this time. I won't allow myself to be drawn into another universe until I have at least finished Warlocks. **_

_**Thanks for the reviews. Do not hesitate to keep them coming. if anything, it does incite me to work faster... :)**_

_**Hope you will like that one. We're getting back on the 'junior division', with this one.**_

* * *

**The Tenser Fever**

* * *

The euphoria after Hermione's announcement lasted for the rest of the Holiday, but still there was work to be done. So Alexander spent the next evening in his office, after he had warmed Phyllis that he would be working late, that night. He was studying Julie's ear-ring very carefully, his nose in one book on the Ancient Symbols. He was looking for a match in the symbols engraved in the thin golden jewel and those listed in his book.

He was at the two hundred and seventieth page when he saw it. The exact same symbol. It was taking a full page.

_The Eyntha: Symbol for the Atlantean Nobility. Mostly found on jewels and ornaments. The most precious jewels were the Bloodlinked. J. Edgar Waterfly made a study on them. It had been published in the Almanac of Magical History, third Volume._

Alexander stood up and exited his office at once. He ran in the corridors, heading for the Library. He opened the door quickly, using some spell, entered it and rushed to the Almanac section. He rapidly found the third volume of Magical History and opened it eagerly. Checking the index, eh quickly found the entry he was looking for.

He walked to the nearest table, and put the open book on it. Madam Pince made her entrance in the Library, drawn here by the noise of Alexander's near breaking of the door.

"Professor? What's going on?" she asked, upon seeing him.

"I'm checking something, Madam Pince, don't worry," replied Alexander. "I'll close behind me."

Madam Pince nodded, reassured. She walked away without a sound, and Alexander went back to his book.

_The Bloodlinked are a kind of Jewel that are not made anymore. They were the result of the Atlantean craft. They were linked to the blood of the family that was owning them. Only the heir of the blood of the family could carry this kind of jewels. _

"This is it," said Alexander.

* * *

"These cloaked wizards are indeed after Julie," said Alexander, later, in his office. "And she's the only target. She's very important for them."

"Why?" asked Ron, sitting in front of him.

He had woken Ron and Harry to tell them about what he had found.

"Because she's a descendant of a High Warlock of Atlantis," said Alexander.

"What?" said Harry, his eyes widened in disbelief.

"She told me that her ear-ring has always been in her family. It is bewitched. It can only be carried by someone with the blood of the family inside. More exactly, someone whose blood is close enough from the family's original legacy. It's an Atlantean spell. So Julie's blood is coming right down from the Atlanteans."

"Wow," said Harry. "Alright. So this is definitely no coincidence. What do they want with her, then?"

"I read about some sects of Wizards who want to carry on rituals of the Ancient City. Forbidden rituals, which involve the person or the blood of a true Warlock. Maybe they need somebody of the real Atlantean line because they only are distant relatives, or their own blood is diluted."

"I just love being born from a muggleborn more and more," said Harry, with a sad smile. "Maybe that's why Julie keeps dreaming about them. If they're so bent on capturing her, it could not be the first time she had to face them."

"She didn't tell us so," said Alexander. "I don't think she would lie to us."

"She didn't tell us that she was from Atlantis," said Ron.

"I'm not convinced she even knows it," said Alexander. "It is possible that they are unaware of this kind of things. If you remember Tanith, she didn't know who she was until she studied Morgenstein's case and found out he was her father. Only then did she find out that she was the Heir of the Mask of Chaos. Maybe Julie simply believes she's from an old family. I wrote to her mother. She's the witch of the family. She'll tell us what she knows about this."

"Maybe," said Harry.

"The life of her daughter is at stake, Harry. I don't think she will hide things from us. Not now."

"Do you think Dumbledore knows about that?" asked Harry.

"If he doesn't, he will soon," said Alexander. "Because I'm going to tell him right now. And to Julie as well."

* * *

"Atlantis?" said Julie, her eyes wider than ever. "How can this be?"

"This is rare, but not unheard of, to see the blood stay strong enough to go on for millennia. Many wizards are linked to Atlantis. Legends say that Merlin himself was the son of an Atlantean Prince," said Dumbledore.

"So you knew it?" asked Julie.

"No," said Dumbledore. "I didn't know that anything related to Atlantis could be involved. But that explains that these wizards have hunted down the Heir of the family for so long. You mother wrote to Professor Armstrong that they had tried to take her child already."

"What?" said Julie.

"And she also said that you didn't know about it," said Dumbledore. "There is a threat over you, Julie, but we need to know more"

"We can guess their motive, though," said Professor Potter. "These Atlantis-style wizards want to get her because of her ascendance. She's from the Ancient City, so they could want to use her for some ritual. Still, we don't know which. Since you told us you didn't know them, we must believe you. But the fact you dream of them can no longer be taken only for a premonition. You have a link to them, in one way or another. So the fact you dreamed of them and you as a child may be significant, after all."

"But I swear I never met those wizards!" protested Julie.

"I wrote to your mother," said Professor Lockenburn. "Maybe she will give us some answers."

Julie lowered her eyes.

"I hope so," she said.

She was feeling lost, suddenly. As if she was the only one not knowing anything on herself. Professors around her telling her things about her family she didn't suspect. How could this be? And how could her mother not know about this? Had she been lying to her? Was she aware of something going on?

Julie sighed. Too many things were happening at the same time. She was lost in her feelings, and now her own history was suddenly twisting and turning in every direction, leaving her unsure of anything.

Who was she? And why did her origin had made her the target of this attack?

* * *

The next attack missed its target as Kenneth jumped out of the way. He retaliated by a sharp jab of his wand and Harry's face was suddenly splashed with water. He had to stop fighting for a moment, as he was sputtering and trying to wipe it off his glasses. Kenneth used this distraction to place his thrust and Harry was hit by the spell. It only created a red flash and a note of music, but it meant one thing.

He had been stunned.

Unbelievable. Harry had an incredulous smile. This kid had just defeated him in a duel. That had to be a first. Granted, being a wandmaster gave him a certain edge in that, but there was a difference between outmatching a student in a duel and being able to defeat his teacher. Harry wasn't the kind of wizard who boasted, but the truth was he was a very serious opponent, when it came to duelling. He only knew of three people in his circle of friends that were able to best him for sure: Hermione, Dumbledore and Tonks. Given the progress his magic and his skill had shown, he wasn't sure that even Lupin or Moody could defeat him, now. So to see a fifteen year old manage to catch him off guard was quite impressive.

He smiled at his student.

"Very interesting approach," he said. "Where did this water come from?"

Kenneth looked a little embarrassed.

"From the little pool on the roof, just out the window," he said.

Harry followed his direction and saw through the open window that Kenneth had had the pool of water in sight for the whole bout. He smiled appreciatively.

"Very clever," he said. "One should always keep his surroundings in mind. "That was well done. I think we will call it a day, now."

Kenneth nodded and went to the bench where his cloak was stached. He caught a bottle of water and took a long sip. Harry could sense that he wanted to ask something, but was unsure of how to do it. Well, the least Harry could do, as a teacher, was to give him a little help, there.

"Something on your mind, Kenneth?" he asked.

The boy looked surprised, but then he sighed, as if making a decision.

"I wanted to ask..." he said. "Are there any clues to what is threatening Julie?"

Harry gave it a long thought.

"Not to diminish your worth, Kenneth," he began. "But I think you should let the staff and the authorities handle this."

"Oh, I know," said Kenneth. 'It's just... I know that it's worrying her, so..."

"I appreciate that, Kenneth," said Harry. "But, by my latest impression, you and Miss Carteret aren't on the best terms, these days."

"Yeah," said Kenneth. "I guess that's my doing, actually."

"Hardly," said Harry, smiling. "Given the reason of your dispute, I'd say you were right. But since then, has she tried to talk to you? To apologize, maybe?"

Kenneth nodded.

"She has, and I've been avoiding her," he said, clearly not very proud of it.

"You should stop, then," said Harry. "You are young, Kenneth. There is something fantastic with the friendships you built at fifteen. They have their ups and downs, but they can often survive anything. Just don't let your resentment fester into something worse, until it is too late to salvage your friendship with Julie. She needs her friends, right now."

"I know," said Kenneth.

"A perfect example of what I mean," said Harry. "the whole mess with Witch Weekly could have damaged my relationship with Ginny, had I not chose to be open and honest about the whole thing at the first chance I got. That way, we were able to deal with the situation together. And, beyond all considerations of friendship, I think Julie could very well use a wandmaster at her side for what may come to her."

"Sir?"

Kenneth was puzzled. Harry chose to be honest about what he meant. That kid was way too much like his mother and Harry knew exactly where that led.

"I can't tell you much," said Harry. "But the threat is far from gone. Julie is a target. And she will need to be protected. You have the natural talent of a wandmaster. Many people often don't know what to do with their gifts. You have the chance to be a protector of your friend. Just keep your eyes open."

"I understand, Sir," said Kenneth, very seriously.

And Harry saw something in his eyes. An echo. Sarah, Lancelot, they both had shared this spark in the eye. This determination that had caused Harry to admire them so much. And when Kenneth had spoken, Harry had known at once that Julie had just gained a bodyguard.

Harry just hoped they could figure out who these wizards were and what they wanted before she would need him.

* * *

The next day was bright and peaceful. Ian and his friends had decided to make some research ("for a change" had said Alexander, ironically). They were looking for the way Ian could control his power surges. They were haunting the library all day long. While Ian and Joel were searching the library for elements on the Chaos forces, Kieran had told them she had to check on some things.

She seemed to have found what she was after, as she entered the Library, half-running, under the stern look of Madam Pince.

"I found it," she said, sitting excitedly next to Ian and Joel, and hushing up her voice.

"You found what?" asked Ian.

"What's wrong with you," explained Kieran.

Ian's eyes popped out of his head.

"WHAT?"

"Shush!" said Kieran, looking around in the Library. "I thought a lot about these accidents. There was something that had bothered me all along. There was no reason for you to lose control. You didn't use any power, when they got wild."

"I summoned a Shield in Transfiguration," said Ian.

"Yes, that's the only time when the accident came from your will," said Kieran. "All the other ones seemed to come out of nowhere. Especially the time you began to float in the courtyard of the School."

"I've done this before," objected Ian. "As you said it yourself, you were there."

"Yes, and I remember it clearly! And I remember why it had started. You were trying to cast a spell with some dead branch…"

Ian chuckled at the memory. He seen himself, five years old little boy trying to freeze a Butterfly, who was ignoring him superbly.

"Yeah, I was trying to freeze a Butterfly, and…"

The memory shot through his mind.

"And you succeeded," said Kieran, in his place. "And then, you began to float!"

"Yes, I remember, now," said Ian. "But…"

"When you floated in the courtyard, you were in Potions, doing nothing. When the pillar fell from the wall, you were doing nothing. The energy just began to boil inside of you," said Kieran.

"But when the walls shook, I was angry, and that's why it did that," said Ian.

"Yes, and this is the day when it all began," said Kieran. "But you weren't casting any magic, were you?"

"No, you're right," said Ian. "So what, it doesn't come from me?"

"But transfiguration…" began Joel, who had followed the conversation.

"In transfiguration, Ian was doing something," said Kieran. "In fact, you have two problems, Ian."

"That's reassuring, thanks," said Ian, with irony.

"But don't you see? You already solved one!" said Kieran. "Did you summon a Shield Charm with your gifts recently?"

"Well, yes, When I ran to …"

He paused, and then he smiled.

"When I ran to help Julie. I cast a Shield. And nothing wrong happened. I used very powerful Chaotic spells, and I didn't lose any control! It was the day I floated in the courtyard!" he said, excitedly.

Kieran was looking quite pleased with herself.

"Tadaa!" she said. "You have mastered this problem with your lessons with Professor Lockenburn and Flitwick. Now, the first accident that was not from your will happened the day you made the walls shake with your anger."

"Yes, Slytherins were gloating about Kenneth. I was in a bad mood, I just lost it a little," said Ian.

"We were walking out of …" said Joel.

"Potions," said Kieran, in his place.

Ian looked at her, puzzled.

"I checked on my notes. You know how I date everything. This was before the second week-end of November. It was Friday the sixth. And this day is the only day of the year, when we had to drink something. I think you've been poisoned."

* * *

"Poisoned?" repeated Alexander, astonished.

"Yes," said Kieran. "I also checked on the calendar for the dates of the accidents. They're happening on a frequency that increases regularly. First, it had been a month between the walls shaking and the time when Ian ran out of Potions to play the lamp in the Courtyard."

She apologized to Ian by a smile. He shrugged and chuckled. The idea he could not be responsible for the accident was too much relieving for him to take offence from his best friend. They had relocated to Alexander's office, so that Kieran could share her theory with them and the teacher.

"Then, it had been one week between the incident in the courtyard, and the one in the Hall," Kieran went on. "I checked the frequency in _Uncommon Magic Affections_ and I found something that explains Ian's power surges."

"Go on," said Alexander.

"The Tenser Fever," said Kieran.

"The Tenser Fever?" said Alexander. "But the only way for him to catch it would have been to..."

"To drink the adequate Potion," finished Kieran. "And the first symptom appears the day when Ian has drank a Potion. I checked in _Most Potente Potions_. The first manifestation happens the day of the drinking."

"What's the Tenser Fever?" asked Ian.

"We'll find out about this," said Alexander. "Follow me," he said, standing up form behind his desk.

He walked out of his Office, closely followed by Ian and Kieran. They trotted behind him down to the dungeons. Alexander opened the door of Snape's classroom.

"What is it?" asked Snape, raising his gaze from a book, on his desk, while a young Gryffindor first year was writing lines.

"I need your expertise on something, Professor Snape," said Alexander.

Snape raised an eyebrow.

"Well, that will be a first," he said, silkily. "What Help can I be?"

"Kieran?" said Alexander turning to her.

"Oh!" she said, giving a start. "Professor, do you keep the samples of the Potions we brew? I mean, do you keep them a long time?"

"I keep them all year, Miss McDougall," said Snape, coldly. "It is sometimes a relief to get rid of some of it, by the end of the year," he added, throwing a deep look at Ian, who began to feel a little uncomfortable.

He was brilliant in most of his subjects, except Potions. He was reaching a weak average, usually.

"We need to check on the samples of the Protective Potion we made this year," said Kieran.

Snape shot Alexander an interrogative look. The Entropist nodded. Snape stood up and turned to a huge shelf. He searched it for some time, and he then took a wooden case, labelled _Third year, Friday the 6__th__ November_. He put it on the table.

"There it is," he said. "I still don't see the point here."

"Where is Ian's sample?" asked Alexander.

Snape looked for it and held out a little bottle, with a little label on it: "Malcolm".

"Is there something wrong with this Potion, Snape?" asked Alexander.

"Well," said Snape, examining the bottle carefully. "The colour isn't the good one, and I took Mr Malcolm points for this. Still it was efficient. I remember that you managed to get an Acceptable, on this one."

Ian smiled weakly.

"What is the problem, exactly?"

"We think it had been mixed with something," said Alexander.

Snape's eyes narrowed.

"I hope you don't suggest that I have anything to do…"

"No, Sir," said Ian, immediately, as the idea shot in his mind. "You couldn't have. We had to test it right after we brewed this Potion, because I has to be taken hot."

"Well, at least, you seem to remember the instructions, Mr Malcolm, even if you can't be more accurate with your doses. What do you think it has been mixed with?" he asked, turning to Alexander.

Alexander nodded to Kieran. She seemed to shrink a little before to answer.

"The Tenser Fever Potion," she said weakly.

Snape seemed to ponder the answer for some time. Then he threw Ian, some intense, very piercing look.

"Interesting theory, Miss McDougall. I just wonder how you learnt about this Potion," he said. "It is only described in _Most Potente Potions_."

"You allowed us to compulse it for our Essay on the Wolfsbane Potion," said Kieran, weakly.

"Yes, indeed," admitted Snape, remembering it suddenly. "I see you still read through all the books you can put your hand on, Miss McDougall. In this case, that would explain a lot of things."

He suddenly stood up, and walked to his Alembic. He poured Ian's Potion in it, and searched his drawer for a little black bottle.

"The Tenser Fever has one main ingredient that is easily recognizable. And it's only used in this Potion. So, if the Potion begins to boil, you will be proved right, Miss McDougall."

He poured three drops of black liquid into the alembic. Immediately, the Potion began to erupt violently.

"Hmmmm, seems like someone has something against you, Mr Malcolm," said Snape. "There is indeed some Tenser Fever Potion mixed to this. Unfortunately, once you know its existence, the Tenser Fever Potion isn't very difficult to brew. It needs few ingredients, and the preparation is easy."

"Er… Professor?" said Ian.

Snape turned to him.

"Could it be that I accidentally brewed it by preparing my Protective Potion?" asked Ian.

"No, Malcolm," said Snape, with a nasty smile. "Even you couldn't have made such a mistake. Besides, to be efficient, the Tenser Potion needs a full day of settling after the brewing. I'm not even sure you have all the ingredients needed for this."

" Are they difficult to find?" asked Alexander.

" They can be found in any shop of Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley," said Snape. "None is restricted. But they're not of a common use. So I don't ask for it to be in the student's list."

"So, a student could have done it without trouble?" asked Kieran.

"A first year could brew this Potion. It isn't forbidden, because it's only matter of a joke. Except in Mr Malcolm's case, of course."

"A Joke?" repeated Ian, anger rising inside of him.

"You don't know what is the Tenser Fever, do you?" said Snape.

"No, Sir," said Ian.

"Tenser was a wizard that was quite ambitious. He brewed a Potion to boost his own Power. The Tenser Potion. It boosts the capacity of one wizard for one or two spells, but in dramatic proportions. Later, some Mage named Bigby, a friendly rival of Tenser, played a joke on his friend and created the Tenser Fever Potion. It creates the same effect, but on an random, unwilling mode. The wizard who is given the Tenser Fever will experience some surge in his magic, and it would suddenly burst out a spell, on an increasing frequency. After some time, the accidents with his spells would happen on a daily basis. After that, the symptom disappear, but the victim is then seen as some kind of catastrophic wizard. As…"

"A freak," said Ian between his teeth.

"That's a harsh word, but it resumes the situation," said Snape. "Of course, in your case, the power surges are a little dangerous. That was quite a hard joke to play on you," he added with a twisted smile.

"Glad you find this funny, Snape," said Alexander coldly. "It is likely one of your student who did this."

"Why?"

"Because we share our Potion Lessons with the Slytherins," said Kieran.

"Yes, but the hand who put the Potion in your cauldron is not necessarily the one who brewed the Potion," said Snape. "I suggest you go in the Hospital Wing ask Madam Pomfrey for some antidote. She has some who can remedy the situation. And I suggest you act quickly, as the next crisis could be very close."

"Well, thank you, Professor," said Alexander, coolly. "We won't bother you anymore. Follow me, Ian."

They walked out the dungeon. Ian could feel the piercing look of Snape on his back. Anger rose again inside of him. He found that funny!

They walked up the stairs and emerged in daylight, in the courtyard. Alexander began to curse madly.

"That lousy greasy evil …! He found that amusing!" he said.

Then he turned to Ian.

"I'm sorry I didn't think of that before," he said. "I was focused on your gifts and their evolution."

"No matter," said Ian. "I have a good detective for a friend."

He suddenly hugged Kieran wildly, and kissed her loudly on the cheeks.

"Ian! What are you doing?!" she exclaimed, flushing a little.

"Thanks!" exclaimed Ian. "You can't imagine what it means to me! I thought I was losing my mind!"

Kieran beamed at him.

"I told you I would help you," she said. "Still, someone has it in for you."

"I'd deal with this later, If I were you, Ian," said Alexander. "The most important is to get rid of these symptoms. You should go right now to Madam Pomfrey. I'll go and tell Professor Flitwick that we found the solution. And I'm relieved, Ian. Really relieved that we found a way to help you."

Ian nodded. He was so happy right now, that he didn't even think of revenge. That would come later. Alexander walked away. Kieran took Ian's hand and dragged him all the way to the Hospital wing.

* * *

"You'll be in for a rough night, Mr. Malcolm," said Madam Pomfrey, pouring some Potion in a bottle. "You should take this as soon as possible. But it will give you a real fever that we can't avoid. So before that, you should get to bed. Here or in your dormitory, as long as someone is watching over you."

"I can do that," said Kieran.

So, later this afternoon, Ian went up in his dormitory and changed to his pyjamas. He got in his bed and took the potion Madam Pomfrey had given him. He settled comfortably in his pillows. Minutes after he had drank the Potion, he began to feel very hot. And his head began to pound heavily. He could feel the beats of his heart through all of his body.

Time seemed to fade around him. He was half-sleeping, but when he was awake, he couldn't open his eyes, as they were burning.

"What time is it?" he mumbled.

He felt a fresh little hand take his own, which felt like it was on fire.

"It's eight in the evening, Ian, try to go to sleep. I'm here."

Kieran's voice. It was like some lighthouse in the darkness. Something to hold on to. Each time he woke up, he could feel her hand holding his, and she whispered some reassuring words, and Ian would go back to sleep.

At some point of the night, he woke up and didn't feel the reassuring presence near him.

"Kieran?"

"She's asleep," whispered Joel, on his left. "I took the relay. She needed to rest a little. She barely ate anything. Don't worry. She's okay. I lent her my bed."

"Thanks, Joel," said Ian, without opening his eyes.

"Well, I would have hesitated if the others had been back from holiday," said Joel, chuckling.

Ian smiled weakly. He felt himself drown again in the fire of his sleep.

* * *

While Ian was getting to bed, Alexander entered back in his apartment.

"So, what news?" asked Phyllis from the couch.

"Good news," said Alexander. "We solved Ian's problem."

"Really? That's great! How?" asked Phyllis eagerly.

"You won't like the idea," said Alexander. "Ian's been the victim of a very bad joke."

"A joke?"

"Somebody gave him a Potion that provoked all these surges of Power."

"WHAT?!"

"I told you that you wouldn't like the idea," said Alexander, with a smile, before to explain everything to her.

Phyllis liked Ian very much and the idea that someone made him go through all of this was something really likely to enrage her. And no mistake, she spent the next minutes shouting against the one who had done this.

"You'd better find him and have him expelled before I do, Alex," said Phyllis. " Or else, you won't like what I will do to this scumbag!"

Alexander smiled. Maybe he didn't need to worry about Ian's safety. He may just have to sit back and watch his wife unleash her wrath on the ones who would mess with his pupil.

But then again, two things came to mind. One, that would be seen as a little bit excessive to resort to such a punishment. Phyllis was, after all, a scary woman. Two, that would deprive him of the pleasure of dealing with this himself.

* * *

When he woke again, hours later, Ian felt again the small hand of Kieran over his. His headache was gone, and he felt a thousand times better, now. He opened his eyes and saw Kieran, asleep in a chair, next his bed, her arm extended to reach his own hand. He smiled weakly and squeezed her hand.

She woke up slowly and stirred. She crossed his eyes and smiled gently.

"How are you?"

"Better than I have been in a month," said Ian. " How can you sleep in one of these things?" he asked sympathetically, when he saw her wince.

"Once you find your position, they get cosy," she said, with a twisted smile. " And I said I would watch over you."

"Well, you should go get some real sleep," said Ian. " I'm alright, now."

"Glad to hear that," said Kieran.

"Joel?" asked Ian, looking around him.

"Gone for breakfast," said Kieran. "We should do the same. It's nine o'clock, already."

"I told you to get some sleep," said Ian, getting up.

"But I got some sleep," said Kieran. "And now, I'm hungry. Come on, hurry up! I'll be waiting for you downstairs. Everybody comes back today."

Ian made a quick washing up, dressed in school robes, and joined Kieran at the bottom of the stairs. They walked out of the Nest to head for the Great Hall.

While crossing the Entrance Hall, Ian saw that the Christmas decorations were out, now. Maybe it was a sign. His life was going back to normal. He felt really relieved about that. He entered the Great Hall with a light heart, for the first time in many weeks.

* * *

"Kenneth?" asked the voice, drawing his attention from the book he was reading, in a far corner of the Library.

Julie. Kenneth knew that this conversation would come sooner or later. Since his talk with Professor Potter, he had been forced to examine his attitude regarding Julie, and he had to admit he wasn't really proud of his childish stubbornness. Everyone had told him that Julie was upset, sorry about the dispute between them. And Potter's advice now, not to let things fester, applied so perfectly to his situation, that he couldn't dismiss it, and he actually felt like an idiot not to have acted sooner on this.

He looked up to see her hesitating near the table.

"Is it okay, if I sit here?" she asked.

"It's a free library," he replied, trying not to sound harsh, and adding an inviting gesture for her to sit down in the chair facing him.

"Good," she said, breathing out, like she had been holding it for some reason. "I need to talk to you."

She opened her bag, and put three books on the table, settled her quill and inker in front of her and rolled out a parchment.

"And you need all of this to talk to me?" asked Kenneth, grinning. "Am I in trouble?"

"I'm making sure Madam Pince doesn't have an excuse to throw me out," said Julie. "Alright, I... I wanted to tell you I'm sorry..." she began.

But Kenneth held up his hand, gently.

"Save it, Julie," he said, without any coldness in his voice. "You've been trying to apologise for more than a month, and if I hadn't been a jerk about it, I''d have forgiven you a long time ago. So no need to further embarrass yourself with that."

"Oh," said Julie, caught off guard. "I... alright. Well, I'm still sorry. I was out of line, and I should have kept my mouth shut."

"It's alright," said Kenneth. "You've been dragged in this whole mess."

"Well, I wouldn't want to lose you as a friend," said Julie, and I have been, I quote you ' too busy drooling on my boyfriend' to be a real friend to you."

"That was an awfully harsh thing to say," said Kenneth, with a wince.

"I deserved some o fit," said Julie. "I guess Robert tried to use your dispute partly to try ans shine in front of me. I'll admit I was flattered."

"Apparently, he has that effect on people," said Kenneth, with a shrug.

"So am I really forgiven?" she asked, with a timid smile.

"Yeah," said Kenneth. "If I accepted Donahue's apology, i'd be a jerk not to accept yours, when you're my friend and he's not."

"Robert apologized?" asked Julie.

"You didn't know?" said Kenneth. "I though that was your doing. Kalindra was sure you had put him up to it."

"No," said Julie. "Actually, I still avoid mentioning the whole thing with him."

"Why?" asked Kenneth.

"Well, partly because, to be honest, I'm still a little embarrassed by my attitude," she said. "And also because I'm still cross with him over the whole issue. When did he apologize?"

"The night of the Yule Ball," said Kenneth. "I crossed path with him after the end of the Ball. He seized the occasion to apologize."

"You crossed path with him near the Gryffindor Tower?" asked Julie, suddenly blushing.

"Well, close enough," said Kenneth, grinning. "I can be very discreet."

This time, Julie was red as a tomato. Kenneth had an inner sigh. He had decided to be friend with her. And that meant accepting that she was dating Donahue. So he smiled to reassure her.

"Were you spying on us?" asked Julie.

"Not really," said Kenneth, honestly. "I walked into the scene, and I figured I'd give you some space."

Julie smiled ironically.

" How can I repay you for your kindness?" she said.

"No need to be embarrassed, Julie," said Kenneth. "It's not like kissing your date when you're fiften is something shocking in our world."

"I know, but... I don't know," said Julie. "It feels like a delicate subject, somehow."

"If this is about the House issue, you wouldn't be the first Gryffindor girl to date a Slytherin bloke," he said with another shrug.

"I can name a few people in my House and even in my year that openly loathe him," said Julie.

"If you refer to Will, Rob and Mandy, they do it out of loyalty to me," said Kenneth. "It's not really against you. I'll talk to them, see if I can get them to take it down a notch."

"You would do that?" asked Julie. "I though you despised Robert."

"Well, it's true I won't share Christmas presents with the guy," said Kenneth, "but first, I wouldn't do it for him, but for you. And second, since I kicked his butt publicly, I think I can afford to appear magnanimous."

Julie couldn't help it, she laughed and Kenneth felt better at this return of their former complicity.

"Tell me, honestly," he said, after a while. "Do you love the guy?"

* * *

Julie suddenly hesitated. At the very least, she owed him an honest answer, which meant that she needed to think about it. Because, if she was to be honest, she wasn't sure of the nature of her feelings toward Robert. Did she love him? And was the answer so complicated?

In fact, it was.

"I cant honestly say that I know," she finally said. "We're fifteen, well... sixteen in his case, so I don't think either of us has the slightest idea of what love really is. But I like him. Sincerely. He's attractive, he's charming. Despite what my dorm-mates think, he's a gentleman. So... I like him and I like spending time with him."

"Fair enough," said Kenneth. "At least, I can make an effort, on behalf of my friend, since you truly like the guy."

"That's nice of you Kenneth," she said earnestly.

"Well, for what it's worth," said Kenneth. "I still think the guy is a jerk, but hey... that's me."

Julie looked at him, completely aghast. Then she burst into laughing. Madam Pince shot her a dark look, and she fought to take her calm back. Kenneth grinned again.

"Well, that was honest enough, at least," she said.

"Friends need to be honest, if they can't be objective," he said with a grin.

"Thanks for the implication," said Julie "Does you judgement of Robert only stands on the bad blood between you two, or do you have other elements to present?"

"I'd say it's mainly because of the history between us," said Kenneth. "So I think it's a shame you would date that guy."

"Really? You have another candidate in mind?" she asked with a slight grin.

Kenneth suddenly seemed to lose his assurance and began to blush a little. Julie's heart made a back flip. Was he trying to tell her that… Kenneth finally seemed to get a grip on himself. He cleared his throat lightly.

"Well, not really," he said, with a hoarse voice. "But you still could do better, that's all."

A sudden rush of emotion rose in Julie, in response to his voice. She felt flushd as a thousands different thoughts collided inside her head. She needed to compose herself.

"Well, thanks for the talk," she said with a smile. "I... I need to go."

She had managed the whole sentence without showing her sudden confusion. She gathered her things and put them back in her bag, before to get up.

"See you at dinner?" asked Kenneth, apparently unaware of her mood shift.

"Sure," she said, a little too hastily for her taste, but she covered it with a weak smile.

She strode out of the library. Once out, she began to run. She sped up to the Gryffindor Tower. She didn't know how her legs had managed to carry her at that point. She shot through the portrait hole, and tried to walk through the Common room casually, climuing up the stairs, after ignoring a call from Alwena. She got to her dormitory and was relieved to see that it was empty. She dropped her bag in the middle of the room, and, leant her back against the door, breathing heavily. If her feelings have been confused after the kiss with Robert, now she was absolutely lost. It hadn't been Kenneth's smile, or his way to talk to her. But he had said something that had been turning her whole world upside down.

_You still could do better, that's all._

And at these very words, the thought had crossed her mind that _he_ would be better for her. Him! Kenneth Lionheart. If she was fair and honest, she had always known that she liked him. She had known it since the moment she had met him on the train. His kindness and his shyness had made him cute. Now, she knew that he was maybe the deepest character of all the students. He had a noble spirit, bravery and kindness.

And now, Julie realised that all of her uncertainties with her relationship with Robert were linked to Kenneth.

She was attracted to the Slytherin Prefect, but she knew she could _love_ the Wandmaster. Her head suddenly seemed to spin.

_Oh, my,_ she thought. _Now, I'm in trouble_.

* * *

In the evening, the rest of the students had all returned from their holiday, they were well settled back in the four common rooms, and the feast marking the start of the new term was about to begin. Terry had been happy to see all his friends again. He had tried to resume his flirting with Kieran, but he had stopped as soon as he had seen the serious faces when he had joined them.

"Alright, hit me," he said. "What's up?"

Joel and Kieran explained him everything regarding the Tenser Potion. Ian was relieved not to have to explain it again. Thanks to the first year stuck in detention with Snape, the rumour on Ian being a victim of a Potion had spread as quick as it could in the whole school. Now that everyone was back, it would spread ever faster.

Terry, once aware of the details, swore to Ian that he would help him to find the culprit, and to make him pay for this. He had to join his table, so he left with a short kiss on Kieran's cheek, which irritated Ian slightly, for some reason.

He was still wondering why he was so mad about this, when Dumbledore stood up for his speech.

"Welcome back, all of you. First I want to wish you an happy New Year and a fruitful term. I won't lecture you on the importance of the period, just remember that you have exams in five months."

There was a collective groan, that made him smile, before he went on.

"But, as often, some less pleasing news come with the well wishes. The professors of this school have discovered something during this holiday, that is clearly intolerable. You all have heard of Mr Malcolm's troubles with his powers. We have found out that they were due to a joke in a very bad taste. Somebody has mixed one of the potion he had to test on himself with another, aimed at making him lose the control over his magic. This is usually harmless, but in the case of Mr Malcolm, this had revealed itself to be very dangerous. for him as well as for the others."

Silence was almost palpable in the Hall. Ian saw many looks turn to him. He closed his face, looking at everyone with a warning look.

"It is already a shame to play such a joke to a fellow student, in an age when your magic can bring many to grow doubts on yourself. But it is even worse when the joke can be a threat to the student's health," Dumbledore went on. "This was, by no mean an accident, as we have the proof that there has been a premeditation and maybe some complotting to set up this thing. Rest assured that the culprits will be found, and punished properly."

Alexander stood up.

"I want to add that the one who caused my pupil to go through such hard times will have to face my personal wrath. And if I catch anyone trying to set up this kind of joke against anyone in the school, I'll make sure the culprit will be expelled."

It was an usual threat, so many students only shrugged.

"And trust me," added Alexander, with a dark look. "They will be grateful to be only expelled."

This was far more serious. Ian saw many impressed looks on many faces. Except on the Slytherins faces, of course. Macke was muttering with his friends. He didn't look concerned at all, just as if What Dumbledore had said would make him no harm or worry.

Ian also saw that Professor Potter was speaking with Alexander, now that his mentor had seated back. They were eyeing the Slytherin table.

"Do you have a suspect, for this?" asked Harry.

"Not yet, but I will find one soon enough," said Alexander.

"If I can provide some help, I would tell you to look in this direction," he said, nodding to the Slytherin table.

"The Slytherin are too easily suspected of anything," said Professor McGonagall. "Even I tend to be too suspicious toward them."

"I don't speak of the whole table," said Harry. "But of one student."

"Who would that be?" asked McGonagall.

"Macke," said Ian.

"What do you say?" asked Kieran, raising her eyes from her plate.

"It's Macke, I'm sure of it," he said. "he made that Potion."

Kieran followed his look to the Slytherin table. Macke was speaking, looking quite relaxed. Then he crossed his eyes, and suddenly he smiled nastily, before to wink.

"The bloody son of…"

"Language, Ian," said Kieran. "Calm down, please. It will be useless. You have no proof at all."

"I'll find proof," said Ian. "Trust me, I will."

* * *

Alexander had parted from Phyllis for a minute, since he needed to get something from his office, before to finally head home for the night. Having found the parchment he was looking, he was about to head back out when an Owl tapped at the window. Alexander opened it and the Owl swooped inside. It was a letter from France. The answer of Julie's family. Alexander tore it open and began to read eagerly.

_Professor Lockenburn,_

_I received your letter. I must tell you that you were right. My daughter has already been victim of such attacks. When she was six years old, she almost got kidnapped by these cloaked wizards. She was saved before she could be taken, but in the weeks that followed, she kept having nightmares about it. We finally decided to use some memory charm on her so she could forget this attempt. The nightmares have gone on, but less intense, and she was getting better. We did our best to protect her against this._

_But you're right. Our family has been the target of these attacks for centuries. You say our bloodline goes back up to Atlantis. I don't know if this is true but all I know is that we had to live with this shadow over ourselves. The wizards try to capture our sons and daughters on an irregular basis. During centuries, they have hunted us. But they always attack the last heir of our blood. _

_We're safe, we don't need any protection, since Julie is in England. That's also why I accepted to let go to Hogwarts. I thought she would be safe under Albus Dumbledore's watch. It seems like I was right, since she has escaped another attempt. But the threat won't end like this._

_Please, protect my daughter from them. I still don't know what they want. But I beg you to protect her._

_In the hope of your answer,_

_Marie Carteret._

* * *

_**That's it for today... On to work on the next chapter. it should be up in a few days.**_

_**Oh, and if anyone's ear has perked up at the mention of the names Tenser and Bigby, I will only say 'I salute you, fellow geek, glad to see the baiscs of magic aren't forgotten'. Tenser and Bigby are characters created by Gary Gygax, Rob Kuntz and Gygax' son for the game **_**Dungeon & Dragons**_**, more precisely in the Greyhawk world. They both have wikipedia entries, incredibly. **_


End file.
